A fast-moving wildfire has scorched 4,000 acres in Malibu, forcing 20,000 residents to flee as flames advanced on homes, horse farms and Pepperdine University.
The Franklin Fire, yet another late-year wildfire fanned by fierce Santa Ana winds, has left a trail of destruction as officials confirmed seven structures destroyed and nine damaged.
The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Meteorologists warned that even though the strongest winds in the area have passed, high fire dangers have decreased. That should aid efforts to contain the fire.
Evacuations have displaced thousands of residents, including celebrities such as Dick Van Dyke and Cher.
Malibu mayor Doug Stewart called it a “traumatic 20 hours” for the city, as emergency operations relocated to Calabasas after the city hall was threatened.
"It burns, it grows back, and we're resilient," Stewart said.
More than 1,500 firefighters are battling the blaze with many roads closed and others under security patrols.
At Pepperdine University, 3,000 students sheltered in place as smoke and embers engulfed the campus. “Ash was everywhere, embers were everywhere,” said a student, Bethany Kronlund.
Franklin fire latest news
- Franklin fire grows to more than 4,000 acres
- Red flag warning expires on the Malibu coast
- Malibu wildfires mapped: Map shows how far the fire has spread
- Dick Van Dyke, Cher were evacuated from their homes
Malibu resident speaks out after his home is destroyed in the Franklin Fire
02:00
Julia Musto
A Malibu resident is speaking out after his home was destroyed in the Franklin Fire.
“It’s pretty torched all around,” Lonnie Vidaurri, 53, told The Associated Press.
His four-bedroom home was located in the Malibu Knolls neighborhood and was one of seven that had been destroyed.
Vidaurri, his wife, and two young daughters evacuated to a hotel in Santa Monica.
He expects that the family’s pet bunnies did not survive the fire, and that they lost most of their things.
“My girls cried, obviously, but it could have been worse.”
Pepperdine University shares video of wooden cross still standing on hills above campus
01:00
Julia Musto
We hiked to the cross on the hills above campus this morning. pic.twitter.com/XnWwMQnGo4
— Pepperdine University (@pepperdine) December 11, 2024
The 20-foot-tall wooden cross had previously been destroyed by the 2018 Woolsey Fire.
It was later replaced by brothers of the Sigma Chi fraternity.
They carried the cross in pieces up the hill in honor of Seaver College student Alaina Housley, who was killed in the shooting at the Thousand Oaks-based Borderline Bar and Grill.
Red flag warning expires on the Malibu coast
00:00
Julia Musto
A red flag warning that was scheduled to extend into Wednesday afternoon has been canceled.
Winds decreased earlier than expected, according to KTLA.
Other red flag warnings that were scheduled to expire Wednesday evening also were canceled.
Power is restored in some areas of Malibu
Wednesday 11 December 2024 23:00
Julia Musto
Malibu resident recalls fire moving toward RV park
Wednesday 11 December 2024 22:00
Julia Musto
A Malibu man is recalling the moment the Franklin Fire approached the city’s RV park.
“You could see the fires rolling in, in over the canyon. It was like ‘Holy crap, this is real,’ ” Shawn Smith told The Associated Press.
Smith was asleep when someone knocked on his mobile home to wake him up.
A day, later, he returned to find that the RV park had been saved by firefighters.
“We got lucky,” he said.
Here’s how to help people affected by the fire
Wednesday 11 December 2024 21:00
Julia Musto
Malibu’s Franklin Fire has now spread over more than 4,000 acres
Wednesday 11 December 2024 20:42
Julia Musto
Malibu’s Franklin Fire has now spread over more than 4,000 acres, according to Cal Fire.
The 4,031-acre blaze is still 7 percent contained.
Photos show devastation of Malibu wildfire
Wednesday 11 December 2024 20:34
Julia Musto
Here are the latest evacuation and shelter updates
Wednesday 11 December 2024 20:15
Julia Musto
Meta social media platforms are down as the fire continues to burn
Wednesday 11 December 2024 20:00
Julia Musto
All of Meta’s platforms – Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Messenger and Threads – appear to have broken in a huge outage.
“Hi, we know there’s a technical issue impacting some people’s ability to access Instagram,” it wrote on the official Instagram page on X/Twitter. “We’re working to get things back to normal as quickly as possible and are sorry for any inconvenience.”
The Independent’s Andrew Griffin has the latest:
Malibu Library remains closed
Wednesday 11 December 2024 19:45
Julia Musto
Malibu Library remains closed due to the Franklin Fire. Stay safe everyone.
— Malibu Library (@MalibuLibrary) December 11, 2024
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors chair assures progress is being made
Wednesday 11 December 2024 19:30
Julia Musto
FRANKLIN FIRE UPDATE The Franklin Fire is at 7% containment and we’re working with federal, state and local partners to continue to manage this emergency.
— Lindsey P. Horvath (@LindseyPHorvath) December 11, 2024
This is still fire weather — Continue to check https://t.co/UXtGiH4poU for safety information and updates pic.twitter.com/OtRXg91wCY
Power outages in California continue to fall
Wednesday 11 December 2024 19:15
Julia Musto
Fewer than 50,000 California customers were without power on Wednesday, according to tracker PowerOutage.US.
That tally had exceeded 60,000 on Tuesday.
Smoke advisory is extended
Wednesday 11 December 2024 19:14
Julia Musto
WILDFIRE SMOKE ADVISORY EXTENDED (Wednesday, December 11 - Thursday, December 12):#FranklinFire burning in Malibu Creek State Park continues to affect our air quality: https://t.co/Y158OoPtBX pic.twitter.com/W2fjGszgvH
— South Coast AQMD (@SouthCoastAQMD) December 11, 2024
Returning home after a wildfire? Here’s what to do
Wednesday 11 December 2024 19:00
Julia Musto
Stay away until officials say it's okay!
— Listos California (@ListosCA) December 11, 2024
When you're able to return home after a wildfire, check anywhere in & around your home that was exposed to embers. “Hot spots” on the ground can prove dangerous to humans & structures
Wildfire preparedness tips at https://t.co/pmfpuVtxvq pic.twitter.com/waXJGC6rIh
Malibu resident says fireproofing helped protect her home
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:45
Julia Musto
Fireproofing steps helped to protect a Malibu resident’s home from the Franklin Fire.
Rosie Rains said she had recently trimmed her trees and cleared surrounding brush from her yard, according to KABC-TV.
She also put safer pre-burnt wood on her roof and built a firetruck turnaround in her yard.
“There are a lot of people up here that don’t do that,” she told the station. “You’re only as safe as what your neighbors are doing.”
Winter doesn’t prevent wildfires, Cal Fire chief says
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:30
Julia Musto
Winter doesn’t prevent wildfires, and it doesn’t stop us! Year-round, CAL FIRE’s aircraft remain ready to respond when wildfires ignite. Just yesterday, our airtankers and helicopters were hard at work, delivering over 7,000 gallons of fire retardant and water to protect lives… pic.twitter.com/OUOfvkGiYg
— CAL FIRE Chief (@CALFIRE_CHIEF) December 11, 2024
Nearly 200 engines are working on the Franklin Fire
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:15
Julia Musto
There are more than 1,500 personnel working on the Franklin Fire.
In addition, Cal Fire reported that numerous firefighting air tankers were flying fire suppression missions.
There are also 187 engines, 56 dozers, and 12 water tenders.
Malibu City Council member says his home will be ‘uninhabitable'
Wednesday 11 December 2024 18:00
Julia Musto
A Malibu City Council member said his home was damaged in the Franklin Fire.
“The house is going to be uninhabitable,” Bruce Silverstein told The New York Times on Tuesday night. “It needs a major, major amount of work.”
He said that the fire appeared to have entered the building through the chimney, burning one side on the inside.
City of Agoura Hills encourages residents to stay prepared
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:47
Julia Musto
Our hearts are with our neighbors in Malibu as they face the challenges of the Franklin Fire. We are thinking of everyone affected. We encourage our community stay prepared as the Red Flag Warning in the region is still in effect until 6 p.m. today. pic.twitter.com/qhstXNm3Hr
— City of Agoura Hills (@CityAgouraHills) December 11, 2024
Wildfire smoke advisory remains in place through Wednesday afternoon
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:30
Julia Musto
The South Coast Air Quality Management District has issued a wildfire smoke advisory around Los Angeles County and the site of the Franklin Fire on Wednesday.
The advisory is valid until 5 p.m. PST.
Air Quality Forecast (Wednesday, December 11th): https://t.co/szsyGAFunD
— South Coast AQMD (@SouthCoastAQMD) December 11, 2024
Coastal: Moderate
LA: Good -to- Moderate
OC: Moderate
Inland Empire: Good -to- Moderate
Coachella Valley: Good pic.twitter.com/KOm7cR0U0k
Here are the new road closures, evacuation areas
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:15
Julia Musto
Pepperdine University says its power has been restored
Wednesday 11 December 2024 17:00
Julia Musto
Power has been restored to the Malibu campus.
— Pepperdine University (@pepperdine) December 11, 2024
Law enforcement continues to enforce road blocks on Malibu Canyon Road and Pacific Coast Highway.
As 19K residents are affected by Franklin Fire, its cause remains under investigation
Wednesday 11 December 2024 16:43
Julia Musto
The cause of the Franklin Fire remained under investigation on Wednesday.
The nearly 4,000-acre blaze has forced thousands of Malibu residents from their neighborhoods.
There have been no reports of significant injuries or deaths, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said at a morning news briefing. Luna said that was a “huge victory” and a testament to residents’ excellent cooperation.
“Our priority continues to be the safety of our residents,” he said.
Luna, urging people to remain alert, said that no crimes had been reported in places that were threatened by the wildfire. He also announced additional road closures in the area.
There are 19,982 people and 7,560 structures in the affected area. In addition, 12,600 people are under evacuation orders and 7,382 are under evacuation warnings
Wednesday is the last day of the severe fire weather warning, Lindsey Horvath, Chair of the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors, said.
Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said his city was far better off this morning than before, noting that traffic signals were utilizing back-up generator power. Some traffic signals on highway on- and off-ramps were temporarily out on Tuesday.
“It’s inspiring and it’s humbling to have this level of support,” he said.
Los Angeles County officials say fire acreage increased by 39 percent overnight
Wednesday 11 December 2024 16:29
Julia Musto
The Franklin Fire increased in acreage by 39 percent overnight, Los Angeles County officials said Wednesday morning.
As the brush fire grew along its western edge, it threatened the Malibu Beach RV park.
Thus far, nine structures have been damaged in the blaze, and seven others were destroyed.
Crews are continuing to work to establish containment lines and defense structures. More than 1,500 personnel were assigned to the incident.
While they have made some headway, the entire fire area remains under threat as long as red flag conditions continue, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone explained.
The red flag event was expected to end around 6 p.m. PST.
Fire personnel, Marrone said, would remain on the scene until the fire is contained.
“They’re all working to protect our community and we thank all of the affected residents for their cooperation and especially for their resilience,” he told reporters.
Students shelter as Franklin Fire burns meters from Pepperdine University windows
Wednesday 11 December 2024 16:15
Julia Musto
Firefighters work to put out Franklin Fire’s flames as blaze grows
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:45
Julia Musto
Malibu fire map: Thousands of acres of California scorched by wildfires as 20,000 evacuate
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:30
Julia Musto
Los Angeles fire officials to hold morning press conference
Wednesday 11 December 2024 15:15
Julia Musto
#FranklinFire There will be a press conference at 8:00 a.m. at Zuma Beach Lifeguard Tower, 30050 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, CA 9026. Officials will provide an update on this incident.#LACoFD #Malibu
— L.A. County Fire Department (@LACoFDPIO) December 11, 2024
These roads are closed because of the Franklin Fire
Wednesday 11 December 2024 14:55
Julia Musto
Franklin Fire Closure Update
— CHP - West Valley (@CHPWestValley) December 11, 2024
PCH between Topanga Canyon Blvd and Kanan Dume Rd remains closed and additional closures have been updated:
Cold Canyon Rd at Piuma Road
Las Virgenes Rd at Piuma Road
Saddle Peak Rd at Tuna Canyon Rd
Mulholland Hwy at Stunt Rd@CHPsouthern
Pepperdine University says fire activity around campus is ‘greatly diminished'
Wednesday 11 December 2024 14:35
Julia Musto
Fire activity around Pepperdine’s Malibu campus has greatly diminished as the Franklin Fire has burned through most of the fuel immediately surrounding campus, but some flames are still visible in small pockets of campus.
— Pepperdine University (@pepperdine) December 11, 2024
Firefighters continue to respond to and put out…
Nearly 4,000-acre Franklin Fire is nearly 7 percent contained
Wednesday 11 December 2024 14:12
Julia Musto
Malibu’s Franklin Fire had spread over nearly 4,000 acres by Wednesday mroning.
The blaze scorched 3,983 acres, Cal Fire reported.
However, the agency also reported that firefighters had made some progress. The wildfire is 7 percent contained.
Photos: Destruction caused by Malibu wildfires
Wednesday 11 December 2024 13:15
Stuti Mishra
Why Pepperdine students sheltered in place as wildfire threatened their campus
Wednesday 11 December 2024 12:15
Stuti Mishra
The wildfire alert came in the middle of the night as some college students in Southern California were cramming for final exams and others were woken up in their dorms.
But rather than run away from the impending blaze, some 3,000 students at Pepperdine University headed toward two buildings at the heart of the 830-acre (336-hectare) campus in coastal Malibu, California, to shelter in place.
The protocol at the Christian university with picturesque views of the Pacific Ocean may seem to defy logic to those accustomed to scenes elsewhere in wildfire-prone California of thousands of residents evacuating fire zones in lengthy caravans of cars.
Read more:
Wildfires conditions to ease by the end of the week
Wednesday 11 December 2024 11:15
Stuti Mishra
Firefighters in Southern California are continuing to battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu, which has scorched more than 3,000 acres since igniting late on Monday.
Although the powerful Santa Ana winds that fuelled the fire have begun to subside, forecasters warn that wildfire risks remain high through Wednesday due to low humidity.
Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard, told the New York Times that wind speeds, which peaked at 50mph on Tuesday, are expected to drop below 20mph by midday Wednesday. However, the dry conditions could still allow new fires to spark.
By Thursday, an increase in humidity and ocean breezes are expected to reduce the risk, with forecasters predicting light rain by the end of the week, offering some relief to the fire-stricken region.
Watch: California night sky glows orange as Franklin Fire rages
Wednesday 11 December 2024 09:30
Stuti Mishra
Mark Hamill in lockdown as Franklin Fire burns through Malibu
Wednesday 11 December 2024 08:45
Stuti Mishra
Mark Hamill, the 73-year-old “Star Wars” actor, shared on social media that he was in lockdown as the Franklin Fire continued to rage through Malibu Canyon.
“I’m not allowed to leave the house, which fits in perfectly with my elderly-recluse lifestyle,” Hamill joked.
The Franklin Fire, which ignited Monday night, has burned over 3,000 acres and remains 0 per cent contained as of Tuesday night, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place orders across the region.
Fire concerns remain high on Wednesday
Wednesday 11 December 2024 08:00
Stuti Mishra
The worst of the winds may have passed but forecasters believe the risk of fires spreading further remains high on Wednesday.
“Another day of fire weather concerns in store for southern California tomorrow,” the National Weather Service said in a Tuesday update.
Another day of fire weather concerns in store for southern California tomorrow.
— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 10, 2024
Wildfires are caused by a spark (usually man-made) in the presence of fuel (dry vegetation) and oxygen. Strong winds, high temperatures, low humidity and drought conditions can further impact the… https://t.co/GbmJAZIdaz
Photos: Firefighters work as the Franklin Fire burns on
Wednesday 11 December 2024 07:30
Stuti Mishra
Video: Fire seen from inside the Payson Library at Pepperdine University
Wednesday 11 December 2024 07:00
Stuti Mishra
The terrifying view from inside the Payson Library at Pepperdine University as the Franklin Fire raged outside in Malibu, CA. https://t.co/GO5kuryFZ5 pic.twitter.com/vbggtFX4JZ
— AccuWeather (@accuweather) December 10, 2024
