'Dangerous situation': Powerful, erratic Santa Ana winds fueling Malibu wildfire

VENTURA, Calif. — A raging wildfire in Southern California has prompted evacuations and damaged homes in celebrity-studded Malibu, the iconic, affluent, and mountainous beach community northwest of Los Angeles.

The fast-moving wildfire that sprang up late Monday had exploded in size early Tuesday, forcing firefighters to go door-to-door to evacuate parts of Malibu. By Tuesday night, the Franklin Fire was over 3,000 acres, spreading through the Santa Monica mountains to the Malibu coast with 0% containment, CalFire officials said.

Firefighters worked on containment efforts along the fire perimeter but were challenged by strong winds, low humidity, and rugged terrain, according to CalFire. More than 1,500 firefighters had been assigned to the Franklin Fire, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department was conducting evacuations and road closures in the Malibu area.

During a news conference Tuesday night, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said a small number of homes in the area were destroyed or damaged by the fire. While the exact number remained unknown, Marrone said preliminary reports showed that seven structures were destroyed and eight others were damaged.

"This was from an aerial view that we were able to look at," according to Marrone. "Damage inspection teams have been assigned to the incident, and they will assist with a more accurate accounting of incident losses tomorrow."

Earlier Tuesday, Marrone said there were no reports of deaths or serious injuries. One sheriff deputy's cruiser was damaged in the fire.

The fire was fueled by strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity, creating red-flag conditions in the region. A red flag warning will remain in effect through at least Wednesday and maybe longer as the powerful winds linger, Joe Sirard, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, told USA TODAY.

"We’re still getting gusting and erratic winds as we're expecting more winds up to 50 mph overnight in the highest elevations of the fire area," Sirard said. "It's just a very dangerous situation. The crews are obviously doing their best to fight the fire, but it’s still hard to contain at this time."

The cause of the fire is under investigation, according to CalFire.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office said in a statement Tuesday that the state secured federal assistance to support the response to the fire.

"Fire officials and first responders are working relentlessly to protect lives and property from the Franklin Fire," Newsom said. "California is grateful for this federal support, which bolsters these efforts. I urge all residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow evacuation orders."

Wildfires: 'Volatile conditions' prompt red flag warnings across Southern California

Homes, other buildings threatened

The fire started near Pepperdine University in Malibu, KTLA-TV reported. It's threatening structures including the Malibu Pier, which is two miles away from the school, according to the City of Malibu.

Multiple areas in the City of Malibu are under mandatory evacuation, according to the city's website. Most of Malibu had its power shut off while firefighters worked to gain control of the fire. Mayor Pro Tem Marianne Riggins said City Hall was also in the mandatory evacuation zone.

Firefighters and sheriff's deputies have gone door-to-door to evacuate residents, officials said. Sheriff Robert Luna said at a Tuesday news briefing that there are more than 8,000 structures within the affected zone. Of those, more than 2,000 are under mandatory evacuation orders and roughly another 6,000 were under evacuation warnings.

Jennifer Seetoo, captain of the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff's Station, said Tuesday night that there were about 20,000 residents under evacuation orders and warnings.

Parts of the Pacific Coast Highway remained closed on Tuesday, with some areas only open to residents or people evacuating from their neighborhoods, according to CalFire.

Malibu schools closed, Pepperdine University students shelter in place

As the Franklin Fire spread south across the Pacific Coast Highway, threatening structures and neighborhoods in the area, schools announced closures Tuesday and moved some operations remotely. The City of Malibu said in a statement that all Malibu schools were closed on Tuesday until further notice.

The Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District said its four Malibu schools, including Malibu Elementary, Malibu Middle, Malibu High, and Webster Elementary, will be closed through Thursday. Schools in Santa Monica will remain open, according to the district.

Santa Monica College said its Malibu campus will be closed on Wednesday due to the fire, noting that classes and exams scheduled for Wednesday will pivot to an online environment or other alternate arrangements will be made.

In an update Tuesday, Pepperdine University said power was still out for the Malibu campus and a shelter-in-place protocol was in place for the evening. The university said students on the campus are required to shelter at the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library, where staff and other resources will be throughout the night.

The university said operations for the Malibu campus will be modified on Wednesday as officials monitor the fire overnight.

Blaze threatens homes of Dick Van Dyke, Mark Hamill

Actor Dick Van Dyke, who turns 99 this week, said on Facebook Tuesday that he and his wife safely evacuated from their home as the fire threatened their community.

"Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving,” Van Dyke said, referring to one of his pet cats. "We’re praying he’ll be OK and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires."

Famous "Star Wars" actor Mark Hamill, 73, said on social media that he was in lockdown due to the fire. "I'm not allowed to leave the house, which fits in perfectly with my elderly-recluse lifestyle," Hamill joked.

The New York Times reported that other celebrities and high-profile figures, including Cher and Barbra Streisand, lived in the area. Cher's publicist told the Times that the 78-year-old singer evacuated to a hotel with her pets on Monday night.

Homes in the Malibu area have been damaged by wildfires over the years, and celebrities have been among those impacted. In 2018, the massive Woolsey Fire made headlines for burning homes belonging to Miley Cyrus, Neil Young, and Gerard Butler.

Franklin Fire map

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'Build-up of fuels in wildlands'

The fire was discovered after the National Weather Service issued a red flag warning over the weekend for most of Ventura and Los Angeles counties because of critical fire conditions expected to occur from Monday to Wednesday, reported the Ventura County Star, part of the USA TODAY Network.

The weather service in Los Angeles warned Tuesday that a high fire danger remained for parts of Ventura and Los Angeles counties. Some areas, including the cities of Fillmore and Santa Clarita, were under "very extreme fire danger," according to the weather service.

The weather service urged residents in high-fire risk areas to be aware of their surroundings and "be careful with anything that can start a fire."

Alex Hall, a climate scientist and director of UCLA’s Center for Climate Science, said in a statement Tuesday that the hot and dry wind conditions fueling the Franklin Fire are similar to the Mountain Fire, which burned nearly 20,000 acres in Ventura County last month.

Although Southern California has seen significant rainfall in recent years, Hall noted that there has been a "build-up of fuels in wildlands" and that the current wet season has been "very dry so far."

"The sequence of very wet followed dry conditions sets the stage for big wildfires," Hall said. "The speed with which the Franklin Fire ballooned overnight, driven by these very strong Santa Ana winds and extraordinarily dry chaparral vegetation, is especially alarming given its proximity to major population centers."

Air quality reaches unhealthy levels due to smoke

Air quality reached unhealthy levels in parts of Ventura County on Tuesday morning, but smoke from the Franklin Fire was blowing offshore, according to the Ventura County Star. Sensors had shown the air was deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups in local areas.

"Right now, the winds are taking all that smoke offshore," said Tommy Winning, a meteorologist for the Ventura County Air Pollution Control District.

The South Coast Air Quality Management District issued a wildfire smoke advisory until Wednesday afternoon. According to the agency, webcam imagery showed the Franklin Fire actively producing smoke on Tuesday morning.

In the meantime, dirt and dust stirred up by the Santa Anas led to unhealthy air quality locally. Winning described the pollutant as coarse particulate. Wildfire smoke generally leads to more of a fine particulate, he said.

By Tuesday, sensors showed the air was deemed unhealthy for sensitive groups in local areas, according to a federal air quality index. Officials urged those with respiratory or heart problems, older adults, and children to stay inside as much as possible and avoid any outdoor activity.

The National Weather Service reported wind speeds, with gusts up to 80 mph, were expected into Tuesday afternoon. Winds were expected to start to taper off later in the day, but conditions could stay breezy and dry through Wednesday.

In a forecast, the local air district cautioned that the unhealthy air quality for sensitive groups could last through Wednesday morning. Snug-fitting N95 respirator masks have filters designed to block the tiny particles. For more information and tips, go to vcapcd.org or airnow.gov.

This story has been updated to add new information.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Malibu fire updates: Erratic Santa Ana winds fueling menacing wildfire