Franklin Fire, burning near Pepperdine University, prompts evacuation orders

Firefighters are responding to a 2,200-acre wildfire that triggered evacuation orders late Monday in Malibu, California, as the Southland is hit with elevated winds amid a red flag warning.

The blaze, dubbed the Franklin Fire, was reported sometime around 11:15 p.m. at Malibu Canyon Road, north of Francisco Ranch Road. Due to the blaze, Malibu Canyon Road will be closed until further notice between Pacific Coast Highway and Mulholland Highway.

A mandatory evacuation order is in effect for areas east of Malibu Canyon Road and south of Piuma Road, as well as the Serra Retreat area.

Sheriff's deputies went door to door, alerting residents to evacuate.

As of Tuesday morning, all schools in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District are closed due to the Franklin Fire.

Additional road closures can be found on the LA County Public Works website.

According to Caltrans, Pacific Coast Highway is closed, except for evacuations, between Topanga Canyon Blvd and Corral Canyon Road.

Tuesday morning, Gov. Gavin Newsom's office issued a statement on X saying that "California has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from FEMA to help ensure the availability of vital resources to suppress the fire."

The Los Angeles Fire Department has also stepped in to help battle the Franklin Fire, providing more than 15 engines, according to LA Mayor Karen Bass.

The LAFD "remains ready and vigilant to respond to any incidents in L.A. Our Emergency Management Department and Recreation and Parks Department worked to establish shelter with the Red Cross to assist those who evacuated," Bass said. "We encourage all residents of the area to continue following directions from public safety officials and to stay informed as this fire continues."

The National Weather Service said north to northeast winds have the potential to increase to 30 to 40 mph with gusts potentially reaching 65 mph overnight amid the firefight. According to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, the blaze is burning east and moving toward the top of Piuma Road.

In a social media post Tuesday morning, Pepperdine University announced it lifted its shelter-in-place order.

The City of Malibu announced that a shelter has been set up at the Palisades Recreation Center, which is located at 851 Alma Real Dr. A large animal shelter is available at Pierce College in Woodland Hills.

Due to the fire, LA County activated an emergency webpage to keep residents up to date on the blaze. To keep up with the county's latest information on the fire, click here.

A spokesperson for LA Mayor Karen Bass said her office is aware of the fire.

"The Office of Mayor Karen Bass is tracking the fire in Malibu and encourages Angelenos to follow instructions from public safety officials," the representative said in a statement.

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