Firefighters battle a brush fire in Malibu near Pepperdine University, leading to evacuations due to dangerous fires caused by strong Santa Ana winds (strong winds coming from inland)
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 on around 4 hectares, but has since expanded to more than 1,200 hectares as of Wednesday morning (French time).
Pepperdine University canceled classes and exams for the day, and an evacuation order was issued, with flames visible from the campus. Power was cut to tens of thousands of people Tuesday morning as power companies worked to mitigate the impacts of winds, whose strong gusts can damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires.
At least seven structures were reported destroyed and eight others damaged as of Wednesday morning.
However, weather conditions should be more favorable in the coming days, with a weakening of the Santa Ana winds, then the wind will come from the ocean on Thursday and Friday, resulting in more humid air and possibly some rain.
