Despite winds, Franklin Fire in Malibu containment reaches 89%

The return of Santa Ana wind gusts did not stop firefighters from making significant progress to prevent the Franklin Fire in Malibu from spreading overnight, Cal Fire reported Wednesday.

The blaze remained at 4,037 acres, and containment increased to 89%. Containment was 63% as of Monday morning, according to Cal Fire.

“Overnight, moderate Santa Ana winds with gusts of 30-50 mph and low humidity continued, creating critical fire weather conditions,” Cal Fire officials said in a statement.

Winds were expected to peak Wednesday morning and decrease by the evening, but low humidity will keep the red flag warning in effect until 6 p.m., officials said.

“Firefighters are reinforcing control lines, mopping up hot spots near structures, patrolling challenging terrain, and completing suppression repair to stabilize fire lines,” according to Cal Fire.

The Watershed Emergency Response Team was assessing potential geologic hazards in the fire zone, officials said.

Damage inspections have been completed, and crews are doing “suppression repair … to prevent erosion,” officials said Tuesday.

During the fire’s peak, approximately 20,000 people were subject to evacuation orders or warnings. Some were allowed to return home Thursday when fire conditions began improving.

All four Malibu schools that closed because of concerns about the fire have reopened this week, and:

• 20 residential, commercial and other types of structures have been destroyed;
• 28 structures have been damaged; and
• 788 personnel were assigned to the firefight on Wednesday.

All evacuation warnings have been lifted, officials said Monday.

Pacific Coast Highway is fully open for traffic from Topanga Canyon to Kanan Dume Road, officials said.

The only remaining hard road closure is Malibu Canyon Road between Pacific Coast Highway and Piuma Road, according to the LA County Public Works Department

“Residents returning to their homes in repopulation zones can do so with confidence that these areas have been thoroughly inspected by agencies and deemed safe,” according to a city of Malibu statement. “However, all residents are urged to remain cautious and follow instructions from public safety officials.”

The city provided guidance on staying safe in burn areas and the proper use of protective equipment at publichealth.lacounty.gov/media/Wildfire. The latest information on road closures is also online pw.lacounty.gov/roadclosures. Recovery information is at recovery.lacounty.gov/franklinfire.

The city also has a fire website — malibucity.org/FranklinFire — and posts about the fire on its the social media sites, @CityofMalibu on Facebook and Instagram and @CityMalibu on X.

A local assistance center at Malibu City Hall opened Tuesday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and a community meeting is scheduled for Wednesday at 6 p.m., officials said. Representatives from LA County Public Works, Waterworks District 29, the U.S. Postal Service, Southern California Edison, the Red Cross and the Boys and Girls Club of Malibu will assist residents who need to reconnect services and access recovery resources.

High winds prompted utility officials to monitor circuits in the Malibu area for possible Public Safety Power Shutoffs. Southern California Edison issued a PSPS monitoring notice for circuits that included Cuthbert, Maguire, Merlin and Serra.

As of Wednesday morning, approximately 1,000 SCE customers in Los Angeles County had their electricity cut through the PSPS program, including some in the Franklin Fire zone.

The Franklin Fire began shortly before 11 p.m. Monday in a section of Malibu Canyon where a high amount of dry brush aided the fire’s rapid spread. The blaze erupted amid a rare “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” from the National Weather Service, which reported strong wind gusts and very arid conditions.

The fire’s cause was under investigation.

Pepperdine University reported power outages and required students and staff to shelter in place early Tuesday. The shelter-in-place order was lifted Tuesday morning, but students and staff were urged to stay off the local roads.

University officials postponed final exams and campus operations were suspended, with much of the campus without electricity.

All Malibu schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District were closed Tuesday through Friday. Santa Monica schools in the district remained open.

Santa Monica College’s campus in Malibu also closed through Friday.

Southern California Edison officials began restoring power to neighborhoods in the area late Wednesday afternoon after the red flag warning was lifted, but some areas were still affected.

LA County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger signed an emergency declaration in response to the fire early Tuesday morning. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state had secured a federal funding to help the firefight.

Updated Dec. 18, 2024, 11:37 a.m.

More from Fire