The surroundings of Malibu, city and beach of the stars near Los Angeles in the west of the United States, have been ravaged since Tuesday, December 10, by a fire which led to the evacuation of thousands of people.
More than 1,150 hectares and seven homes in this area popular with celebrities and billionaires have already gone up in smoke, according to the authorities.
The fire broke out Monday evening and, helped by the wind and very dry vegetation, continues to progress.
All schools in Malibu, located on the Pacific Rim, were closed Tuesday, with authorities calling on “residents and visitors to stay away from the area while the fire continues to pose a significant threat.”
1,500 firefighters are battling the blaze, aided by a fleet of water bomber planes, Los Angeles Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said.
“Completely surrounded”
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department, approximately 20,000 people are under evacuation orders or alerts that ask people to prepare to evacuate.
It was a “traumatic” event for the city, said Mayor Doug Stewart.
About 2,000 properties on the east side of Malibu were issued a mandatory evacuation order. People living in another 6,000 properties have been advised to leave.
Monday evening, “we were completely surrounded” by the fire, a resident told local television channel KTLA.
“It was around 11:00 p.m. We heard people screaming, I went outside and the sky was bright red. Within 45 minutes the fire reached the bottom of the hill and an hour later we were surrounded by the flames: on one side, the houses were burning, on the other, the ridge was burning and all around us, the mountain. The situation began to become frightening,” explains this same resident.
Among the evacuees, the former cinema glory Dick Van Dyke, 99 years old, famous in particular for his role in Mary Poppins (1964) and countless television series: “Arlene (his wife, Editor's note) and I evacuated our animals in safe, except for one cat who escaped as we share. We pray that he makes it through and that our community survives these terrible fires,” he wrote. on Facebook.
Pepperdine University announced on X that it had suspended all classes and exams on Tuesday. Videos broadcast show plumes of smoke and flames in front of a library where students wearing protective masks have taken refuge.
Much of the southern part of the state is placed on red alert by the United States Weather Service (NWS), with gusty winds and low humidity compromising fire risks.
After two rainy winters which offered relative respite, California is experiencing a very active fire season this year. This summer, the “Golden State” suffered from several heat waves, signs of global warming. In July-August, the state suffered the fourth largest fire in its history.
