Franklin Fire in Malibu prompts evacuations, road closures as 18K residents impacted
MALIBU, Calif. - More than 700 firefighters continued to battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu that broke out Monday night near Malibu Canyon Road, north of the Pepperdine University campus. At last check, the fire had grown to more than 3,000 acres with 0% containment, fueled by strong Santa Ana winds.
The blaze has shut down Pacific Coast Highway and prompted evacuations for residents, with a "minimal" number of homes destroyed and thankfully, no injuries have been reported.
Location of Franklin Fire in Malibu
Just before 11 p.m. on Monday, crews with the Los Angeles County Fire Department responded to Malibu Canyon Road in Malibu Creek State Park, where a high volume of dry brush contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze. It erupted in the midst of a rare "particularly dangerous situation red flag warning" issued by the National Weather Service in response to strong wind gusts and dramatically dry conditions.
Malibu Fire Containment
Chief Anthony Marrone declared at an 8 a.m. briefing that there was no reported containment. The National Weather Service noted that the "particularly dangerous situation red flag warning" would expire by 2 p.m. Tuesday, yet red flag conditions were expected to persist until the following afternoon, Wednesday. Firefighting efforts hoped to leverage lower wind speeds Tuesday afternoon ahead of an expected increase in wind gusts later.
Peak wind gusts of nearly 50 mph were recorded overnight, showcasing the dire weather challenges being faced.
What started the Malibu fire?
The cause of the fire is under investigation by L.A. County Fire and Sheriff's arson teams.
Evacuation Order and Warnings
A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for the following areas:
- East of Latigo Canyon
- West of Topanga Beach Driveway
- South of Baller Motorway
- Piuma Road
- Rambla Pacifico
A warning was in place for:
- East of Trancas Canyon Road and Kanan Dune Road
- West of Crestline Drive
- South of Hidden Highlands Road, Mullholland Highway, Lookour Road, Powderhorn Road
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna mentioned that the sheriff's department has dispatched over 150 personnel for evacuations, road closures, and security patrols. Hard closures are in effect at Las Virgenes Road and Mulholland Highway.
Evacuation Shelters
Residents: Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District - 2802 4th Street, Santa Monica.
Small Animals: Agoura Animal Shelter, 29525 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills.
Large Animals: Pierce College, 6201 Winnetka Avenue, Woodland Hills.
Franklin Fire Malibu Map
According to Sheriff Luna, around 18,000 people and 8,100 structures lie within the endangered area. Of these structures, about 2,000 are under evacuation orders.
Road Closures
- Pacific Coast Highway from Topanga to Kanan Dume
- Malibu Canyon Road
- Las Virgenes from Mulholland to Los Hills
High Wind Warning
Besides the devastating fire, parts of Los Angeles County, including Malibu, face a Red Flag Warning and a High Wind Warning. These alerts, issued by the NWS, arose from the Santa Ana wind event forecast to persist through the early afternoon, with winds waning later into Wednesday.
RELATED: Strong Santa Ana winds threaten Southern California with 'highest possible' fire danger
According to the National Weather Service, the strong and very dangerous Santa Ana wind event will continue across portions of Los Angeles and Ventura Counties into the early afternoon with decreasing winds later this afternoon into Wednesday.
FOX 11 Meteorologist Maria Quiban said the dry conditions with strong wind, combined with the terrain and vegetation of dry brush made for the "perfect recipe." She added there were prevailing winds from the upper levels of the atmosphere and that wind gusts have ranged between 45 and 55 mph, and even up to 80 mph in isolated areas.
SUGGESTED: Strong Santa Ana winds threaten Southern California with 'highest possible' fire danger
Air Quality
Smoke from the Franklin Fire is expected to most heavily impact Northwest coastal Los Angeles County including Malibu and areas near the fire through Wednesday morning, officials said.
Some smoke impacts may occur in parts of the San Fernando Valley, Santa Monica, Downtown Los Angeles, and nearby areas on Wednesday afternoon as winds shift to come from the southwest. These areas may reach unhealthy for sensitive groups.
School Closures
Because of power outages, road closures and evacuations related to the fire, all Malibu schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will be closed through Thursday, Dec. 12.
Pepperdine University canceled classes and final exams for Tuesday, December 10. Shortly before the news of classes being called off, the school issued a shelter-in-place order on campus, which impacted about 800 students.
While that order was briefly called off, the university reinstated the shelter-in-place order as of 4:30 p.m. on Dec. 10. Students will be required to be in the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library.
FOX 11 spoke with Pepperdine University students sheltering inside one of the libraries. Gabrielle Salgado said students were inside a fire-resistant campus library wearing masks as they watched the fire spreading through the building's windows.
On Tuesday morning, the shelter-in-place order had been lifted and students were allowed to return to on-campus housing.
Power Shut-offs
Southern California Edison shut off power for parts of Malibu in the wake of the fires.
Additionally, thousands of customers are without power across LA, Ventura, and Orange counties in order to prevent electrical equipment from sparking wildfires.
RELATED: Thousands in Southern California at risk of power shutoffs amid Red Flag Warning
Emergency Declarations and Assistance
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger issued an emergency declaration early Tuesday morning. Gov. Gavin Newsom reported that the state secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to aid the firefight, acknowledging the relentless efforts of fire officials and first responders. Newsom urged residents in affected areas to stay alert and heed evacuation orders.
The Source: This report used information from the Los Angeles County Fire Department, Pepperdine University and FOX 11 meteorologists Maria Quiban and Adam Krueger.