A wildfire raging in Southern California has triggered evacuations and caused damage in Malibu, the iconic and affluent beachside community northwest of Los Angeles.
The fast-moving Franklin Fire ignited late Monday and quickly expanded, prompting firefighters to go door-to-door evacuating parts of Malibu. By Tuesday night, the blaze had scorched over 3,000 acres, spreading from the Santa Monica Mountains to the Malibu coast with 0% containment, according to CalFire officials.
Efforts to contain the fire have been hampered by strong winds, low humidity, and challenging terrain. Over 1,500 firefighters are battling the flames, while the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department manages evacuations and road closures in the affected areas.
During a Tuesday night news conference, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone confirmed that a small number of homes in Malibu had been destroyed or damaged by the Franklin Fire. While the exact figures are still being assessed, preliminary reports indicate that seven structures were destroyed and eight others sustained damage.
"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."
Marrone reported no deaths or serious injuries related to the fire, though a sheriff deputy's cruiser was damaged.
The Franklin Fire was intensified by strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity, resulting in red-flag conditions across the region. According to Joe Sirard, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Los Angeles, the red flag warning will remain in effect through at least Wednesday and possibly longer as the powerful winds persist, he 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."
