The Franklin fire in Malibu in the United States continues to spread. Residents in the area, including singer Cher and actor Dick Van Dyke, were forced to evacuate their homes.
Smoke spreads throughout Los Angeles County. A huge forest fire is currently ravaging Malibu. Firefighters were forced to order more than 20,000 residents to evacuate as the flames advanced on their homes, including celebrities.
“Mary Poppins” star Dick Van Dyke, who turns 99 on Friday, said he and his wife Arlene left safely with their pets, except for a cat named Bobo, who remains missing. “We pray that he is okay and that our Serra Retreat community survives these terrible fires,” he wrote on Facebook.
Witnesses told KABC-TV that the house belonging to the actor’s neighbor caught fire, but the actor’s house remained intact. Singer Cher also had to flee the fire, according to the New York Times.
1133 hectares in less than 24 hours
Residents under evacuation orders waited anxiously Tuesday to see if their properties had been spared from the “Franklin Fire,” which broke out Monday evening and spread to more than 2,500 acres in less than 24 hours.
Most of the damage took place in Malibu, a city west of Los Angeles known for its breathtaking landscapes which are used as settings for Hollywood films.
According to ABC News, the flames ravaged celebrity vacation homes, horse farms and Pepperdine University, where some 3,000 students were forced to shelter on campus. Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony C. Marrone said a preliminary aerial assessment estimated seven structures were destroyed and eight structures damaged. “These 20 hours have been traumatic for the city of Malibu,” said Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart.
As the fire continues to grow, weather conditions are expected to improve this week in Southern California. The National Weather Service reported Tuesday evening that the strongest Santa Ana winds, with gusts up to 40 miles (64 km) /h, had passed, which should help the more than 1,500 firefighters mobilized to fight the flames.
