- The Washington Times - Tuesday, December 10, 2024

A wildfire that broke out in Malibu, California, led to evacuations in the area and an edict to stay inside at Pepperdine University.

The Franklin Fire started at 11:54 p.m. Monday, the Los Angeles County Fire Department said on social media. A mandatory evacuation was ordered in the Malibu area near the Pacific Ocean.

The fire spread Tuesday to at least 1,822 acres, according to a mapping website shared by Malibu officials on social media. City schools were closed all of that day.

Dry brush along with Santa Ana winds helped fuel the flames, according to KABC-TV.

The California Department of Transportation closed State Route 1 between Route 27 and Corral Canyon Road except to those fleeing Malibu.

About 6,000 of Malibu’s 11,000 residents live in the area that officials ordered to be evacuated, according to the Los Angeles Times. Around 2,000 structures are located in the evacuated area.

Malibu Media Information Officer Matt Myerhoff told KCBS-TV that the city’s pier was safe but that houses may not be.

“I think the preponderance of structures being impacted around here are going to be homes. We don’t have information yet if they are damaged or if they are destroyed; that’s too soon to say. … We just know fire crews are battling those,” he said.

Elsewhere in the area, Pepperdine had its students and professors seek shelter at the Tyler Campus Center and Payson Library at 1:09 a.m. Tuesday. Pepperdine’s shelter plans, it said on social media, are approved by county fire officials and override the evacuation order in areas around the university.

Pepperdine was still sheltering in place as of 4:56 a.m., and the school said in an update that electricity was out on much of the campus.

• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.

Copyright © 2024 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.

Please read our comment policy before commenting.