Thousands Evacuated as Wildfire Tears Through Malibu

Thousands of residents in Southern California were forced to flee their homes as the Franklin Fire erupted in Malibu late Monday night, rapidly spreading through the area. At one point, the blaze even threatened Pepperdine University, forcing the school to shelter in place.

• The fire began in Malibu Canyon, covering just 10 acres initially, but quickly expanded to over 1,800 acres by early Tuesday morning.

• Evacuation orders impacted over 6,000 people as Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies went door-to-door to ensure compliance.

• The blaze, fueled by powerful Santa Ana winds, has drawn firefighting resources from Los Angeles, Orange, and Ventura counties. Helicopters have been deployed to douse the flames with water from local reservoirs.

The National Weather Service has issued warnings for "highest possible" fire danger in Southern California due to the high winds, exacerbating the difficulty of containing the fire. The cause of the Franklin Fire is still under investigation.

Pepperdine University, located in Malibu, became a focal point of the emergency as flames approached the campus.

• The university activated a shelter-in-place protocol, housing students and staff in its library and campus center. Videos shared on social media showed flames visible from inside the library.

• By Tuesday morning, the university reported that the worst of the fire had passed its campus, though smaller spot fires persisted. Fire crews remained onsite to manage the remaining hotspots.

• “Power remains out for much of Malibu,” the university stated, maintaining its shelter-in-place policy until daylight.

The city of Malibu has issued regular updates, directing residents to designated shelters for themselves and their pets. Despite the devastating circumstances, the response has been swift, with resources from multiple counties working together to protect lives and property.

This is yet another reminder of the devastating toll that wildfires can take on California, particularly during the dangerous Santa Ana wind season. As the Franklin Fire continues to burn, it underscores the urgent need for preparedness and swift action in the face of natural disasters.

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