Flames burned near Pepperdine University and forced thousands in the coastal city to evacuate.
MALIBU, Calif. (KABC) -- Firefighters are battling a wind-driven brush fire in Malibu that prompted evacuation orders and warnings for much of the city and caused Pepperdine University students to shelter in place on campus for two nights.
The Franklin Fire was reported just before 11 p.m. Monday in the area of Malibu Canyon Road north of Pacific Coast Highway. The blaze has since grown to 4,037 acres and containment stands at 30%.
At least nine structures were reported destroyed and another six damaged as of Wednesday evening. The cause of the fire is unknown.
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.
Fire officials said the voluntary 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.
Voluntary mandatory evacuations
Evacuation warnings
MAP: Franklin Fire in Malibu evacuations
Road closures
Soft closures: Open only to residents with identification
Hard closures:
Related story: Malibu fire road closures
Evacuation centers
AIR7 was above the scene as the sun rose Tuesday morning, showing some of the first daylight images of the Franklin Fire in Malibu.
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.
As of 7 a.m., the fire has burned 1,822 acres.
As crews battle the fire burning in Malibu, city officials are urging residents who are under an evacuation order to leave if they haven't already.
Matt Meyerhoff with the city of Malibu spoke with Eyewitness News Tuesday morning to give an update on what's being done.
He said though there's poor cell phone service in the area, firefighters are on the ground alerting residents to evacuate.
"We know that there's spotty cell phone service across Malibu right now, which makes it really hard to get people through emergency alerts which mostly go through cell phones," he said. "But [firefighters] go door to door, they pound on people's doors, they drive up and down streets with bullhorns on, they wake people out of their beds to get them out of their house to make sure they're safely evacuating."
At one point, the fire has spread over Pacific Coast Highway and threatened structures near the Malibu Pier and Malibu, Malibu Knolls and Sweetwater Mesa roads.
Meyerhoff said the pier itself is intact.
"It is certain that some number of homes are definitely going to be badly damaged," he said. "We're hoping for the best. We want the Malibu community to know how hard we're working for them and that we care. We know that they're going through a very difficult, dramatic time ... this is the scariest thing that can happen to Malibu."
All Malibu schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District will be closed Tuesday as the Franklin Fire burns in the area.
That includes Webster Elementary, Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle School and Malibu High, officials said.
Strong Santa Ana winds returned to Southern California on Monday and a red-flag warning is in place through Wednesday night. The winds are expected to grow stronger on Tuesday.
Because of the red flag warning, fire officials noted that a strike team was pre-deployed in the area and was able to respond quickly when the fire was first reported.
Santa Anas are dry, warm and gusty northeast winds that blow from the interior of Southern California toward the coast and offshore. They typically occur during the fall months and continue through winter and into early spring.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
