Grass Fire Burns Popular Delta Island Near Stockton
STOCKTON, Calif. (CBS13) -- Two people were evacuated Monday after a grass fire flared up on an island in the San Joaquin River near Stockton.
The San Joaquin County Sheriff's Office says deputies worked to battle the flames near the Lost Isle resort, roughly 15 miles northwest of Stockton.
The two people were evacuated after flames jumped to a structure on the island, which was likely one of the old abandoned Tiki bars, and started it on fire.
While private department Holt Fire, hired by local farmers to protect the area, and sheriff's boats defend nearby land and infrastructure, the island itself is burning to the ground – and agencies won't stop it.
"Right, now there's nothing really on the island," said Chief Ken Pearson of Holt Fire.
But Lost Isle wasn't always abandoned.
"It was the hotspot on the Delta forever. There are legendary stories about it," said local bartender Kimberlee Hansen.
She has spent years on the party island.
"It was like you're forever 25," she said.
Hansen watched from a couple of miles away as her island memories went up in smoke.
"I think everyone is going to be bummed to see it burn down, but we really wanted to see it reopen and that was never going to happen," she said.
According to one local Lodi newspaper, the island was once owned by Lost Isle Partners before it was eventually sold after a man was stabbed and killed. Hansen says the island's been cursed ever since.
"They were trying to get it open and they just could never do it," Hansen said.
She was given old pictures of the island by its former head bartender.
"Phil, who was the head bartender at Lost Isle. He's turning 80 this year. He gave this to me. It was just a cool place. It's unfortunate," she said.
No injuries were reported in the fire.
There will be private companies in the area monitoring this fire to make sure it remains on the island.
