Firefighters continue to keep a 250 acre brush fire on one of the Channel Islands from spreading, with containment at 60% as of Friday night.
The Santa Cruz Island Fire started Tuesday afternoon. With favorable weather conditions, firefighting aircraft are no longer being used, and the number of firefighters battling the blaze has been reduced from around 100 to 70.
More than two thirds of the land burned had non-native species in its perimeter, so the blaze may have actually helped ongoing efforts to restore the island to its original condition.
One small outbuilding has been destroyed. Early on in the fire, more than 50 people ranging from Nature Conservancy staff to park visitors were evacuated. National Park Service officials say public access to the island will be limited though the weekend, with boat service suspended to Prisoners Harbor.
