The Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon exploded to nearly 2,000 acres overnight as much of Southern California was under red flag warnings and high risk of dangerous fire spread, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place protocols at Pepperdine University.
The brush fire broke out around 11 p.m. local time Monday evening (2 a.m. ET Tuesday) in the area of Malibu Canyon Road and Station Boundary, according to the .
As of 3:47 a.m. local time (6:47 a.m. ET), it had spread to 1,822 acres with 0% containment, moving across the Pacific Coast Highway and impacting structures.
The blaze comes as 12 million are under red flag warnings in Southern California from San Luis Obispo down to San Diego due to Santa Ana winds, low humidity and dry vegetation, making conditions ripe for especially dangerous wildfire growth. Wind gusts of 50 to 80 mph are possible along with the risk of downed trees and power outages.
Malibu, a beach city home to celebrities in the Santa Monica Mountains, was one of several areas under a rare “particularly dangerous situation,” or PDS, red flag warning that was in effect from 8 p.m. Monday night local time through 2 p.m. Tuesday “due to damaging Santa Ana winds and very low humidities,” according to the .
Other areas under this PDS warning include the San Gabriel mountains, Santa Clarita Valley, Calabasas, Ventura County Coasts and Valleys, and the western San Fernando Valley. Red flag warnings are in effect for all other times through 6 p.m. Wednesday in the same areas.
The City of Malibu said in anlocal time Tuesday that the blaze has spread south across PCH to Malibu Road near Webb Way and across PCH into the Malibu Pier area — a tourist attraction also beloved by locals and surfers.
“Malibu Pier and other structures are impacted. Structures are impacted on Malibu Knolls Rd and Sweetwater Cyn,” the city said.
A mandatory evacuation order is in place east of Malibu Canyon Road, South of Piuma Road and the Serra Retreat area, fire officials said. The Palisades Recreation Center is an evacuation center.
Pepperdine University had issued a for community members around 1 a.m. local time early Tuesday. All campus members on the Malibu campus were directed to shelter in place in the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library.
on social media showed bright orange flames outside windows of the campus.
By 3 a.m. local time, the University wrote on that “the worst of the fire has pushed past Pepperdine.”
“However, there are smaller spot fires on campus that are not threatening life or structures, and fire resources remain on campus to address these spot fires as they occur,” the statement added. Due to power outages in Malibu, the shelter-in-place protocol will last until “at least daylight.”
Normal operations on the Malibu campus were suspended Tuesday, including classes and finals cancelled.
Southern California Edison was doing public safety power shutoffs due to heightened wildfire risk impacting over 10,000 customers in Los Angeles County, nearly 9,000 customers in San Bernardino County, and over 2,000 in Kern County. Those shut offs are also in effect for much of Malibu, the city said.
The city of Malibu said all Malibu schools are closed Tuesday until further notice and residents and visitors are urged to stay clear of the area.
Malibu Canyon Road from Mullholland Highway to Pacific Coast Highway are also closed to the public, .
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said her office is monitoring the fire. “Thank you to all first responders working to battle this blaze,” she wrote on .
Some of the Santa Ana wind gusts clocked yesterday neared 100mph. The reported a gust of 93 mph was reported at Magic Mountain Truck Trail, 77 mph at Palo Sola Truck Trail, and 74 mph and the Oakridge Oil Field.
Forecasters said “a strong, widespread, and long duration Santa Ana Event will bring widespread critical to extremely critical fire weather conditions to many areas of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties trough Wednesday,” with a particular dangerous situation red flag warning event in many areas.
