Homes and Structures Impacted; PCH and Major Roads Closed as Firefighters Battle Blaze
The update from the city government of Malibu as of 7:11 p.m. is that the Franklin Fire has now burned 3,049 acres, according to Cal Fire, and remains at 0% containment. Preliminary reports indicate that seven structures have been destroyed, and eight have been damaged. A spokesperson for the city, Matt Myerhoff said in a press statement, “Our thoughts are with all those affected by this devastating event. Our hearts and thoughts go out to all those impacted. We will do everything possible to support their recovery.”
According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, 18,000 people and 8,100 structures are in Malibu. Of the 8,100 structures, 2,043 are under evacuation orders and 6,046 are under evacuation warnings. The county of Los Angeles remains under a Red Flag warning for extreme fire risk due to high winds and low humidity until Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.
The City has set up an Emergency Information and Supplies Station at Zuma Beach, offering updates, food, water, and first aid assistance. City emergency alerts are posted at http://malibucity.org/alerts. Due to the Franklin Fire and PCH closure, trash service was not completed from Topanga Canyon to Kanan Dume Road.
A new shelter location is now available for evacuees from the fire. SMMUSD has offered its facility at 2802 Fourth Street in Santa Monica, 90405.
Pacific Coast Highway is closed from Topanga Canyon to KananDume, Topanga Canyon and Malibu Canyon roads are closed. Las Virgenes is closed from Mulholland Drive to Lost Hills Road in Calabasas.
SCE PSPS power shutoff is in effect in much of Malibu, so traffic lights may be out of service. CalTrans is working on getting the traffic lights operational.
Mandatory evacuations are in place from Tuna Canyon to Puerco Canyon (Zones MAL-C112 and MAL-C111), and evacuation warnings have been issued for Corral Canyon to Trancas (Zone MAL-C113) as the Franklin Fire continues to spread rapidly in Malibu.
The Verizon support team is up and running at Zuma Beach, and has a generator powering the cell tower/service in the Civic Center area of Malibu, to assist residents with cell phone service during the PPS power shut-off.
All four schools in the Malibu School District will remain closed until Thursday at least. Updates will follow.
Pepperdine University issued a social media update at 10:00 p.m. that said, “Fire activity around Pepperdine’s Malibu campus has greatly diminished as the Franklin Fire has burned through most of the fuel immediately surrounding campus, but some flames are still visible in small pockets of campus.
Firefighters continue to respond to and put out lingering hot spots and protect structures. Early analysis indicates there has been little to no damage to structures around campus, and no injuries have been reported.
The EOC continues to monitor conditions on campus and within the local Malibu area while firefighters put out lingering fires. The community will remain in the shelter-in-place protocol in the Payson Library and the Tyler Campus Center overnight, and an announcement will be made in the morning when it can be lifted.” The school added that Pepperdine’s operations on the Malibu campus will again be modified tomorrow due to the Franklin Fire. As the remainder of in-person finals have been suspended, students may choose to leave campus and return home at this time.
The Santa Monica College Malibu Campus will remain closed tomorrow, Wednesday, December 11 due to the impact of the Franklin Fire. The school’s website said, “ If you are enrolled in a class at SMC Malibu, please check in with your instructor via Canvas or your SMC student email. Any exams or classes scheduled at the Malibu Campus for December 11 will be pivoted to an online environment and/or alternate arrangements will be made.”
Traffic signals at PCH intersections, including Malibu Canyon and Paradise Cove, are out, and widespread Southern California Edison (SCE) Public Safety Power Shutoffs (PSPS) continue to impact Malibu.
Evacuation centers are open at Palisades Recreation Center (851 Alma Real Drive), which is also accepting pets in carriers or crates and large animals. Additional large animal shelters are available at Pierce College in Woodland Hills (6201 Winnetka Avenue at Victory Boulevard).
For residents displaced by the fire, SCE is offering discounted rates at certain hotels, with details available at www.malibucity.org.
The city government’s statement said that Malibu City Hall was evacuated early this morning due to fire threats, with brush burning near the building. The city has activated its virtual Emergency Operations Center (EOC) and is operating with the support of the City of Calabasas.
City facilities, parks, and programs are closed, and all scheduled events and meetings have been suspended until further notice. Fire Safety Liaisons remain embedded with firefighting crews, providing real-time updates to the city’s EOC. Residents are urged to follow evacuation orders and assist elderly or disabled neighbors who may need help evacuating.
The city advises residents to monitor local AM/FM radio, including 99.1 FM KBUU, for emergency updates, as cell service may be unreliable. Emergency information is also available at www.malibucity.org and on the city’s social media channels.
For power outage updates, visit www.sce.com/psps.
City officials have deployed message boards and backup generators to keep traffic signals on PCH operational where possible. Authorities remind residents: “Homes can be rebuilt, and possessions can be replaced, but lives cannot.”
