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LIVE: Franklin Fire in Malibu grows to more than 3,000 acres, homes destroyed

Pepperdine canceled classes for the day and students were ordered to shelter-in-place again.

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Last updated: Wednesday, December 11, 2024 8:45AM GMT
ABC7 Eyewitness News

MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- Firefighters are battling a brush fire in Malibu near Pepperdine University, prompting evacuations amid dangerous fire conditions due to strong Santa Ana winds.

The Franklin Fire was reported just before 11 p.m. Monday in the area of Malibu Canyon Road north of Pacific Coast Highway. It started at just about 10 acres but has since grown to more than 3,000 acres as of late Tuesday.

Pepperdine canceled classes and finals for the day and there was a shelter-in-place order as flames could be seen from the campus. Power to tens of thousands of people had been shut off by Monday night as utilities worked to mitigate the impacts of the winds, whose strong gusts can damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires.

At least seven structures were reported destroyed and another eight damaged as of Tuesday night.

Key Headlines

Here's how the news is developing.
KABC logo
Dec 11, 2024, 6:50 AM

Franklin Fire map shows 2,200-acre perimeter, evacuation areas

A real-time map provided by fire officials showed the perimeter and evacuation areas of the massive Franklin Fire.

The map on the Los Angeles County Fire Department website reflected the mandatory evacuation order that covered the area east of Malibu Canyon Road and south of Piuma Road, as well as the Serra Retreat area.

A preliminary aerial assessment estimates that seven structures have been destroyed and eight structures damaged, L.A. County Fire Department Chief Anthony C. Marrone said at a news conference Tuesday evening.

Pepperdine University lifted a shelter in place protocol Tuesday morning. At 4:30 p.m., students were ordered again to shelter in the campus center or library.

"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," the university said on its website.

There has been "little to no damage" to structures around campus.

KABC logo
Dec 11, 2024, 7:23 AM

Malibu fire evacuations, road closures

Fire officials said the evacuation order area encompassed about 6,000 people and more than 2,000 structures. The evacuation warning area covered 12,500 people and more than 6,000 structures.

Mandatory evacuations

  • South of Piuma Road, north of the Pacific Ocean coastline, east of Puerco Canyon Road/Corral Canyon Park, west of Los Flores Canyon Road
  • Between the Pacific Ocean coastline and Tuna Canyon Park to the west of Tuna Canyon Road

Evacuation warnings

  • East of Trancas Canyon Road and Kanan Dune Road, west of Topanga Canyon Blvd/Surfview Drive, south of Mulholland Highway, north of Evacuation Order boundary. Includes Topanga Zone 8 and 10

MAP: Franklin Fire in Malibu evacuations

Road closures

  • Pacific Coast Highway closed between Tuna Canyon Road to Kanan Dume Road, according to Caltrans
  • PCH westbound from John Tyler is open, but any vehicle that leaves the Pepperdine campus in that direction will not be able to return as PCH is closed eastbound
  • Topanga Canyon Boulevard is closed to all but local traffic
  • Malibu Canyon Road closed from Mulholland Drive to PCH

Related story: Malibu fire road closures

Evacuation centers

  • Calabasas Community Center at 27040 Malibu Hills Rd.
  • Santa Monica Unified School District Facility at 2802 4th St.
  • Large animals: Pierce College: 6201 Winnetka Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367; and Agoura Animal Care Center in Agoura

Dec 11, 2024, 7:28 AM

Pepperdine students on alert

The wildfire was reaching the edges of the Pepperdine campus on the first night of the fire, according to several videos posted online by students. The university was also reporting power outages on campus. A shelter in place order was issued and a second order was issued Tuesday afternoon.

Some videos showed trees on fire near the library where students were sheltering inside.

Firefighting helicopters dipped into the school's lakes in Alumni Park to help with water drops.

On Tuesday night, the university said fire activity around the campus had "greatly diminished" but some flames were still visible. An announcement will be made Wednesday morning regarding possibly lifting a shelter-in-place order.

Rob Hayes Image
ByRob Hayes KABC logo
3 hours and 41 minutes ago

Malibu resident details fireproofing steps that helped protect home from Franklin Fire

As flames from the Franklin Fire ripped through Malibu, some residents were thankful they took extra steps to protect their homes in advance.

Rosie Rains just recently had her trees trimmed and brush cleared from her home's yard. But she had also already taken steps like putting safer pre-burnt wood on her roof and building a firetruck turnaround in her yard.

The result: Her home was spared by the flames.

Not everyone has taken such steps, and that has her worried.

"There are a lot of people up here that don't do that," she said. "You're only as safe as what your neighbors are doing."

A Malibu woman is outlining some of the steps she took in advance that helped protect her home from the Franklin Fire.
KABC logo
5:48 AM GMT

Satellite images show clear view of Malibu blaze, firefighting aircraft

New satellite images show a spectacular vantage point of the Franklin Fire in Malibu.

The satellite images from Maxar Technologies shows firefighting airplanes and helicopters working to protect homes. One image shows a color contrast between areas that have been burned and those that were spared in the fire's path of destruction.

New satellite images from Maxar Technologies show a spectacular vantage point of the Franklin Fire in Malibu.
KABC logo
2:23 AM GMT

Malibu fire has destroyed 7 structures, damaged 8

The Franklin Fire has destroyed seven structures in Malibu Canyon and damaged eight additional structures, officials said at a 6 p.m. Tuesday press conference update on the blaze.

It wasn't immediately clear how many of those structures were homes.

Aerial footage from AIR7 has shown at least one home consumed by flames and several outbuildings. Other homes Tuesday had visible damage to decks and garages but were spared total destruction in part thanks to aggressive efforts by firefighting agencies and volunteer brigades.

The fire, which started Monday night, has burned more 2,800 acres and remains at 0% containment. Evacuation orders and warnings are in place for areas encompassing about 20,000 residents.

KABC logo
3:02 AM GMT

4 Malibu schools to be closed Wednesday, Thursday

Four schools in Malibu will be closed Wednesday and Thursday due to the Franklin Fire. Those schools are: Webster Elementary, Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle and Malibu High School.

At Pepperdine's Malibu campus, students are required to shelter in place in the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library. Officials say power remains out.

"Students should plan to be in a shelter location for the duration of the night," the university said. "Student Affairs staff will be in both locations throughout the night as well as having food, power, water, and communications."

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