LIVE: Franklin Fire in Malibu grows to 4,000+ acres with 7% containment after homes destroyed

A group of locals make up the volunteer fire brigade. Dozens of these volunteers don firefighting gear and jump into action whenever their community needs them. They rushed into action when the Franklin Fire took off.

"The entire team feels this is the right thing for us to do. If we don't as citizens step up and take this kind of action who's going to do it for us?" said Brent Woodworth, a member of the brigade.

The fire brigade formed last year to assist the professional firefighters. The brigade is made up of members of the community stepping in to help their neighbors when disaster strikes. Some members are passionate about volunteering even after losing their own homes in fires over the last several years.

"So many of the folks that are on our brigade had survived a personal loss and yet still come back and still want to make the community safer and stronger. It actually increases their level of commitment, and it is very emotional to think about that," Woodworth said.

Eyewitness News talked to Malibu residents who were so thankful to firefighters for saving their homes and also thankful to the volunteers with the fire brigade for doing what they say Americans are known for - helping each other when disaster strikes.

"That's what makes you an American - the ability to step up. You are not getting paid - you are just doing this help other people and when people come together, that's America," said Paul Joseph, a Malibu resident.

The Franklin Fire destroyed just over half a dozen structures and torched thousands of acres.

"When it comes to natural disasters, Mother Nature does not discriminate. Fire doesn't care what political party you are with or your background or anything and therefore it's a great way to bring people together for a common cause to help protect their communities," Woodworth said.

"It's the entire team feels this is the right thing for us to do. If we don't as citizens step up and take this kind of action who's going to do it for us?"

Malibu residents are seeing better conditions Wednesday as fire crews make progress controlling the Franklin Fire.

The fire grew quickly overnight to more than 4,000 acres but by the afternoon the Santa Ana winds were starting to subside. Cooler, more humid conditions are expected to start Thursday.

Containment was listed at 7% with evacuation orders and warnings still in place impacting about 20,000 residents.

The Santa Ana winds are starting to subside and cooler, humid conditions are arriving soon, helping firefighters in Malibu.

Thanks in part to those changing conditions, firefighters were able to stop the flames from reaching dozens of homes in Corral Canyon. It's now trapped in brush below Corral Canyon Road with help from a line of fire retardant, fire breaks and constant water drops.

"It was concerning going to bed. You look out the window, you literally see the fire flare up and then it disappeared and you think I get a bit of a rest now. Next thing you know it flared up again," said Malibu resident Kurt Bendler. "So it was concerning. But the big difference is the winds this time. The winds aren't coming in hot and heavy so it's manageable."

Corral Canyon was hit hard by the Woolsey Fire in 2018 and some residential lots are still devoid of homes. At the time, some felt the firefighting infrastructure was insufficient but upgrades have been made since then, including the training and equipping of volunteer fire brigades.

Residents also made upgrades to their homes, including adding fire hoses and replacing air vents.

On Wednesday, an off-shore flow pushed smoke toward the ocean. So far, the air quality concerns have mostly been for the immediate area near the fire zone.

But the winds are expected to shift to an off-shore flow, which is expected to push harmful fine particulates more inland. This is expected to happen on Thursday and will impact areas like Agoura Hills, Calabasas, parts of the San Fernando Valley, Santa Clarita, Santa Monica and as far east as downtown L.A.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District says these areas can reach the unhealthy for sensitive groups category or even higher. Sensitive groups include people who suffer from asthma, allergies, COPD, heart disease and other chronic conditions.

"The main pollutant in wildfire smoke is fine particle pollution. So these are these microscopic particles that can get really deep into your lungs.

They can cause some pretty serious health effects, especially in people that are in sensitive groups - children, older adults, pregnant women, people with pre-existing heart and lung issues such as asthma or COPD, and also people who spend a lot of time outdoors are particularly susceptible to the health impacts," said Scott Epstein with the South Coast AQMD.

Here are some tips to stay healthy if you are in a smoke zone:

• Avoid physical activity
• Remain indoors
• Run the AC or air purifier

On Wednesday, an off-shore flow pushed smoke from the Franklin Fire toward the ocean. But the winds are expected to shift to an off-shore flow, which is expected to push harmful fine particulates more inland, as far east as downtown L.A.

When the Franklin Fire broke out in the hills of Malibu late Monday night, many residents heeded the evacuation orders and left their homes, but one group of courageous neighbors stayed behind to put up a fight.

Video from the scene captured Abel Rodgers on the roof of his Malibu home at 2 a.m. Tuesday with a high-powered hose fighting back against the encroaching flames.

When the Franklin Fire broke out in Malibu, one group of men stayed behind and defended several homes against the flames.

The flames and showers of embers swirled through the area for hours. Rodgers described the fire as "fierce."

Alec Gellis was also there trying to keep the flames at bay.

Read the neighbors' story here.