The Scorpion Fire burn area of approximately 1,411 acres will be closed for restoration until further notice.
The closure includes the entire burned area that extends eastward from the Smugglers Road that leads from Scorpion Valley to Smugglers Cove. Most of the burned area extends seaward to the coastline from Smugglers Road.
The Smugglers Road will remain open to foot traffic. Boaters will not be able to access Little Scorpion Canyon from the shoreline due to the closure.
“The National Park Service is grateful for the rapid response to the Scorpion Fire by Los Padres National Forest and Santa Barbara County Fire on Santa Cruz Island,” said Channel Islands National Park Superintendent Ethan McKinley. “We are in the process of assessing and understanding resource impacts from the fire and deciding which methods are best to restore the burn area.”
There was some damage to a historic grove of cypress trees known as Delphine’s Grove.
This small grove of cypress trees was planted in the early 1900s by the oldest child of former island owner Justinian Caire. The fire did not reach the historic olive groves at Smugglers Cove.
Scorpion Anchorage on Santa Cruz Island remains closed due to construction of a new pier.
The National Park Service has more than 20,000 National Park Service employees who care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities.
Learn more at www.nps.gov.
