Residents of the southern California city of Malibu have been forced to flee their homes after another late-year wildfire fanned by strong winds and warm weather tore across the area.
The Franklin Fire started shortly before 11 p.m. on Monday, and has since spread over 2,200 acres, forcing more than 6,000 people to evacuate their homes. The cause of the brush fire remains under investigation.
Approximately 700 firefighting personnel were working to fight the fire as the sun rose on the West Coast.
There have been no reports of serious injuries or deaths, and officials said Tuesday that a “minimal” number of homes had been destroyed. It was not immediately clear how many had burned, but 2,000 structures were in the evacuation zone.
The fire, which started around Pepperdine University, was moving south. Final examinations at the school were postponed and all Malibu schools were closed until further notice. Around 800 students were sheltering in place.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said his department had been coordinating with local and state partners, and that 150 personnel were assisting response efforts.
“The safety of our community members is our number one priority,” said Luna.
Red flag warning warnings were in effect through Wednesday.
