| Advertisement |
Dec. 10 (UPI) -- A fast-moving brush fire in Malibu exploded to 2,800 acres along the southern California coast Tuesday as most of the city has been ordered to evacuate. The Franklin Fire, which started Monday night and is still under investigation, is being fueled by strong Santa Ana winds. The winds are pushing the flames through the Santa Monica Mountains and toward the coast in Malibu.
Advertisement
"The fire is burning so hot that it is modifying the local winds, bending them towards and into the fire," the National Weather Service in Los Angeles wrote Tuesday.
"The combination of winds, very low humidities and dry fuels make for an explosive fire environment," the NWS added.
As of Tuesday night, the fire had no containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu remained closed, except to evacuees.
The National Weather Service earlier issued a rare red-flag warning of a "particularly dangerous situation" for Los Angeles and Ventura counties, as gusts reached 75 mph in the mountains and 60 mph at lower elevations. The Santa Ana winds combined with dry vegetation as the area has received "less than a quarter-inch of rain over the last six months."
"Widespread Red Flag conditions across much of southern California due to Santa Ana winds will continue to be a threat to residents and property throughout the week," CalFire warned Tuesday in a post on X.
Mandatory evacuations were ordered for areas east of Malibu Canyon Road and south of Piuma Road, as well as the Serra Retreat area. The evacuation area covers about 6,000 people and more than 2,000 structures.
"It's certain some number of homes are definitely going to be badly damaged," said Matt Myerhoff, a Malibu city spokesperson.
Among the evacuees was actor Dick Van Dyke, 98, who told fans in a post that he and his wife had "safely evacuated."
An additional 12,500 people have received evacuation warnings covering about 6,000 structures, according to fire officials.
Utility companies shut-off power to the Malibu area to prevent additional brushfires. Monday night, Pepperdine University reported power outages and activated a shelter-in-place order, which was lifted Tuesday morning.
"Despite any evacuation orders from Malibu city or surrounding areas, the university community should follow university instructions," Pepperdine told students.
"We do not evacuate the campus even when surrounding areas might. This shelter-in-place protocol is approved by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and was executed with their cooperation," the university added.
There are approximately 800 students on campus. Classes and finals were canceled Tuesday at Pepperdine, as other area schools also shut down.
"I urge all residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow evacuation orders," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Tuesday, as he announced the state had secured federal assistance for the Franklin Fire.
"Fire officials and first responders are working relentlessly to protect lives and property. California is grateful for this federal support, which bolsters these efforts."
