The wildfire significantly impacted Santa Rosa Island's ecosystem, which is home to rare plant and animal species. While the fire burned through grasslands and chaparral, it posed a particular threat to the island's Torrey pines, a rare tree species found only on Santa Rosa Island and near San Diego. Firefighters and unmanned aircraft surveys indicated that the Torrey pine stand remained mostly intact, with the fire burning at lower intensity in these areas. However, some pockets of forest sustained damage. The fire also threatened cloud forests, but suppression crews successfully protected these vulnerable areas by cooling fuels ahead of the fire's front.