Firefighters worked through the night to contain a dangerous blaze that burned homes in Malibu and forced thousands to evacuate.
The Franklin Fire continued to threaten the coastal city, growing 39% overnight and burning near some residential neighborhoods and an RV park.
At least seven homes were destroyed and nine damaged, but officials said that number could rise as more comprehensive assessments are completed. The fire had burned more than 3,900 acres and was 7% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
The fire was reported a few minutes before 11 p.m. Monday along Malibu Canyon Road in the hills north of Pepperdine University and grew quickly, fanned by strong Santa Ana winds, Cal said. Fire.
Overnight, the western edge of the fire became more active, backing up Corral Canyon toward the Malibu RV park community, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said. during a press conference Wednesday morning.
Despite the overnight challenges, crews improved containment lines by dropping fire retardant and creating more firebreaks along the eastern edge of the fire, which is located in rugged terrain. More than 1,500 firefighters are battling the blaze, Marrone said.
“Teams are working around the clock to establish containment lines and defend structures,” Marrone said.
As of Tuesday evening, the average wind speed around the fire area had slowed to 15 to 25 mph — a considerable drop from peak wind gusts of up to 65 mph that were recorded when the fire broke out. triggered, said National Weather Service meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.
A red flag fire danger warning remains in effect for the region until 6 p.m. Wednesday, with forecasters warning of strong winds in Santa Ana and very low humidity. But the winds should then ease and firefighters hope to better control the fire.
“The town of Malibu woke up again to a very red sunrise. This morning it was due to lingering smoke in the sky rather than the approaching fire line,” said Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart. “We are much better off this morning than we have been in the last 30 last hours.”
The Franklin Fire burns in the Malibu hills.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Still, officials said many residents living in the path of the fire are still waiting to learn the condition of their homes. Some spent a second night without power or cell service.
“To our Malibu community, we know you are hurting,” said Supervisor Lindsey Horvath. “Thank you for caring for each other. Please remain vigilant as we bring this fire under control. Please know that we are working hard to bring safety and normalcy back to Malibu.
Past the security gates of Serra Retreat lies a small enclave of luxury properties that is home to celebrities such as Patrick Dempsey, Dick Van Dyke and formerly Mel Gibson. On the first night of the fire, it surprised many people in the area. Pets were killed and several cars and houses burned, including one on Mariposa De Oro Street, according to residents.
Van Dyke wrote on Facebook that he and his wife, Arlene Silver, had been evacuated from their home.
“Arlene and I evacuated safely with our animals, except for Bobo who escaped as we were leaving,” he wrote, referring to his cat. “We pray that he is okay and that our Serra Retreat community survives these terrible fires.”
Alec Gellis, 31, was riding around the neighborhood on his electric bike checking on homes Tuesday afternoon. He and a friend remained on scene throughout the night from Monday to Tuesday to protect properties in the area. The fire, he said, broke out quickly. Around 11 p.m., he was in his room when he heard people shouting outside and cars honking.
“The sky was red and the whole canyon was lit up on the other side,” he said. “We were surrounded by flames. Everywhere you looked there was fire.
He and his friend Abel Rodgers, 33, grabbed a hose connected to a machine that pumped water from the pool and began spraying their house. Firefighters were busy trying to beat back the flames, so for five hours the two men dunked everything they could, even venturing into neighbors’ yards to help put out spot fires.
Rich Leo found himself stranded at a gas station on Pacific Coast Highway as spot fires burned around Malibu Tuesday.
He parked his SUV at a Chevron station, low on gas, and flirted with the idea of leaving the area to refuel.
“But I don’t know if I’ll be able to go home,” Leo, 79, said outside the gas station that had no electricity.
Leo is a long-time resident, over 40 years, and remembers when the Woolsey Fire ravaged Malibu and up the coast.
“This one was bad,” he said of the Franklin fire. “It kept jumping and everywhere I looked I saw fire last night.”
The fire had only been going on for a few hours when firefighters knocked on the door of his home off Winter Canyon Road around 1 a.m., but he refused to leave. He was concerned about staff at nearby Notre-Dame de Malibu Catholic Church and School.
He wanted to stay behind to make sure everyone was okay.
At the nearby church, a lone parishioner rode his bike into the school. The fire burned to the property line and burned wooden fence posts and vegetation, but firefighters were able to keep the fire from affecting the property.
A man who identified himself as Mike walked through the school compound where the doors were open and all the water taps were running.
“I just wanted to make sure everyone was okay and the school was standing,” Mike said. “My children came here when they were little. My house burned down in the Woolsey fire, so I know what it means when that happens.
He walked around a kindergarten classroom as firefighting helicopters flew overhead causing the windows to rattle. Another man came out of the brush with a blue bucket filled with water.
“I’m just trying to do what I can,” said the man who put out a smoldering fire near the fence. He refused to give his name and only said he lived on the hillside around the school.
