Pepperdine canceled classes for the day and students were ordered to shelter-in-place again.
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.
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.
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
Evacuation warnings
MAP: Franklin Fire in Malibu evacuations
Road closures
Related story: Malibu fire road closures
Evacuation centers
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.
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.
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.
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."
Mark Hamill lives in the area of Malibu impacted by the Franklin Fire and posted on social media that he was going into lockdown.
"I'm not allowed to leave the house, which fits in perfectly with my elderly-recluse lifestyle," the 73-year-old "Star Wars" actor joked.
The fire, which started Monday night, has burned more than 2,800 acres and as of Tuesday night was 0% contained.
