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.
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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.

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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.

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Dec 10, 2024, 2:25 PM GMT

Video from inside library at Pepperdine shows flames from wildfire

Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows smoke and flames from the wildfire just outside a window of the Payson Library where students were taking shelter.

Video obtained by Eyewitness News shows smoke and flames from the wildfire just outside a window of the Payson Library where students were taking shelter.

Gabrielle Salgado, a senior at Pepperdine University, was one of the many students asked to shelter in place.

She spoke with ABC7 on Tuesday and said she was in her dorm when the power went out around 11 p.m.

"I was actually sitting at the window where the trees caught fire," she said. "I was here earlier when they caught fire, we have like palm trees at our park in front of campus. It didn't spread. Firefighters got it out pretty quickly."

She said her friends who live off-campus were stuck either at home or at the library.

"It really is a stressful situation because they can't come to campus and they can't really leave the campus," she said.

Dec 10, 2024, 2:25 PM GMT

Fire spreads over Pacific Coast Highway; threatens structures near Malibu Pier

According to the city of Malibu, the fire has spread over Pacific Coast Highway and is threatening structures near the Malibu Pier and Malibu, Malibu Knolls and Sweetwater Mesa roads.

Jaysha Patel Image
Dec 10, 2024, 1:10 PM GMT

Woman chokes up describing evacuating during Franklin Fire in Malibu

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate in Malibu after a brush fire broke out overnight. One woman told Eyewitness News she evacuated with her boss and barely had time to gather anything, apart from some sentimental items.

She became emotional and she described what she experienced as she tried to escape the flames.

"I can't believe it.. I want to scream and cry but what can I do?"

One of her main concerns was her livestock. She was only able to free one horse, but said two others managed to escape and run away.

"The horses were back at the house. I couldn't get them but, at least, I feel a little bit OK because I feel like I released them... I'm just hoping for the best."

Thousands of people were forced to evacuate in Malibu after a brush fire broke out overnight. One woman described what she experienced as she tried to escape the flames.