Pasadena Fire Department Sends Units to Assist with 3,890 Acre Franklin Fire in Malibu

The Pasadena Fire Department has dispatched resources to assist with the rapidly spreading Franklin Fire in Malibu as the blaze continues to threaten structures and force evacuations along the Southern California coast.

Lisa Derderian, spokesperson for the Pasadena Fire Department, confirmed Tuesday that one fire engine with four personnel and one battalion chief have been assigned to the Franklin incident.

Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, the Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon, in the hillsides near Pepperdine University, grew to more than 3,890 acres Wednesday with about 2,000 structures under mandatory evacuation orders.

However, authorities said there was only a “minimal” number of homes destroyed and no injuries reported.

The blaze began shortly before 11 p.m. Monday in a Malibu Canyon area where a high volume of dry brush contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze. It erupted in the midst of a rare “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” issued by the National Weather Service in response to strong wind gusts and dramatically dry conditions.

The cause of the fire was still under investigation.

At an 8 a.m. multi-agency briefing Tuesday, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said the fire was listed at more than 2,200 acres, with no reported containment. By late afternoon, Cal Fire put the size of the fire at 2,851 acres.

More than 700 firefighters were battling the blaze Tuesday morning, aided by a fleet of water- and retardant-dropping aircraft, including Super Scoopers and eight Cal Fire S2-T tankers, which are capable of dropping 1,200 gallons of retardant.

The “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” expired at 2 p.m. Tuesday for the Malibu coast, but standard red flag conditions are scheduled to remain in place until 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS. Fire crews rushed to take advantage of lower wind speeds Tuesday afternoon, before the anticipated rebound in gusts in the evening hours.

Fire officials stated during an evening briefing that roughly 1,500 firefighters had been assigned to battle the flames, with 13 state, local, and federal aircraft assisting with firefighting efforts.

Peak wind gusts of nearly 50 mph were recorded in the Malibu area overnight, according to the NWS.

As of 4:25 a.m. Wednesday, the fire had burned 3,893 acres, Cal Fire reported.

Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the sheriff’s department deployed more than 150 personnel in law enforcement operations, including evacuations, road closures and security patrols.

A mandatory evacuation order was in effect for roughly the area east of Latigo Canyon, west of Topanga Beach Driveway, and south of Baller Motorway, Piuma Road, and Rambla Pacifico.

An evacuation warning was in place for the area generally east of Trancas, south of Hidden Highlands Road, Mulholland Highway, Powderhorn Road, and west of Crestline Drive.

Luna said that as of Tuesday morning there were about 18,000 people and 8,100 structures affected by evacuations, with about 2,000 structures under mandatory evacuation orders, and the others under voluntary evacuation warnings.

Damage to buildings was difficult to assess overnight due to darkness and heavy smoke. Flames reportedly reached the Serra Retreat area at 1 a.m. Tuesday — prompting participants in a women’s retreat at the facility to evacuate — and the fire jumped Malibu Canyon Road.

Marrone said that although there is still no official estimate of the number of structures damaged, an aerial assessment indicated that about seven homes have been lost and eight others damaged.

As of 6 p.m., approximately 20,000 residents were under evacuation orders or warnings.

At least one building in the retreat areas was reported to have been destroyed Tuesday.

Malibu City Hall was also within the evacuation area and was cleared overnight. The city moved its Emergency Operations Center to a temporary location in Calabasas.

Malibu City Councilman Bruce Silverstein and his wife on Monday night evacuated from their home and checked into a hotel, where they watched the fire creep closer to their hillside home via Ring cameras at around their house. “We see real flames,”  Silverstein told The Times, as he watched the lawn and trees near his home burn. “We thought it was completely under control,” he added. “For a while it looked like we were in the clear. Then we could see the fire burning in the distance, and then a bunch of embers came flying into the yard.”

Pepperdine University reported power outages and activated a shelter- in-place protocol during the overnight hours for students and staff, who were herded into a library and cafeteria area.

However, about 8 a.m. Tuesday, Pepperdine officials announced in a statement on social media that a post-daybreak reassessment of conditions had led to a lifting of the shelter in place protocol at the campus.

“Campus conditions are safe for members of the community to return to student residences and on-campus homes. The community is strongly encouraged to remain on campus and stay off Malibu roads as first responders continue to respond to the Franklin fire, which continues to threaten Malibu,” the Pepperdine statement said.

“Additionally, ongoing fire suppression efforts on campus continue, and residents are encouraged to limit driving on campus to allow first responders to respond to spot fires which continue to flare up around campus. Power remains out for much of the campus and Malibu area. The red flag warning continues as gusty winds remain. If conditions worsen, we may have to reinstitute our shelter in place protocol.”

Pepperdine President Jim Gash announced to students that final exams were postponed and normal operations were suspended on the campus Tuesday.

“There are numerous LA County Fire Department engines on campus and their helicopters are using the lakes in Alumni Park to pick up water to drop on the fire from above,” Pepperdine University posted. Most of the campus was still without power as of midday Tuesday.

All Malibu schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District were closed Tuesday, and they will remain closed through Thursday due to the power outages, road closures and evacuation orders due to the fire. The district’s Santa Monica schools remained open.

The Santa Monica College Malibu Campus was closed Tuesday and will remain shuttered Wednesday.

Pacific Coast Highway was closed between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Kanan Dume Road. Las Virgenes Road was closed at Mulholland Highway to Lost Hills. Malibu Canyon Road was also closed between Mulholland and Pacific Coast Highway. Topanga Canyon Boulevard was closed previously in response to the fire danger, with only residents being permitted in that area.

“LA Waterworks is requesting that residents conserve water by stopping outdoor irrigation immediately to ensure adequate resources for firefighters,” according to a city statement.

An evacuation shelter was established at an SMMUSD facility at 2802 Fourth St. in Santa Monica.

The evacuation center at the Palisades Recreation Center has been closed. Another center has been established at the Calabasas Community Center, located at 27040 Malibu Hills Road.

Animal shelters were established at Agoura Animal Care Center in Agoura Hills and Pierce College in Woodland Hills for larger animals.

Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger signed a local declaration of emergency in response to the fire early Tuesday morning. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state had secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist with the firefight.

“Fire officials and first responders are working relentlessly to protect lives and property from the Franklin Fire,” Newsom said in a statement. “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.”