Source: CNN
Improving weather conditions in Southern California on Wednesday raised officials’ hopes that firefighters could rein in the Franklin Fire, which forced evacuation orders or warnings for 20,000 residents in the Malibu area, including some celebrities, and more than 8,000 homes and businesses.
At its peak, the wildfire that ignited Monday expanded at an alarming rate, consuming an area larger than five football fields per minute and destroying at least seven structures. Some people are confronting the painful reality of lost homes.
Longtime Malibu resident Fred Roberts expressed his alarm at the destruction while checking on a friend’s home.
“I remember playing in this house in the front yard with my schoolmates. That’s how long I’ve been here, my whole life,” Roberts told Reuters this week. “This is a notorious area, winds coming straight down Malibu Canyon like a blowtorch.”
On Wednesday afternoon, Red Flag warnings expired in Southern California as conditions that were favorable for wildfire spread abated. A Red Flag warning means warm temperatures, very low humidity and stronger winds are expected to combine to produce an increased risk of fire.
Officials expressed cautious optimism Wednesday morning that improving weather conditions would help them get the blaze under control.
“We’re far better off this morning than we were in the last 30-plus hours,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said. The city had to move its emergency operations to Calabasas on Tuesday because of the fire threat to City Hall.
Tens of thousands had lost power in Southern California this week – many because of pre-emptive power shutoffs because of high winds.
Despite the positive weather trends, the Los Angeles County fire chief warned the 12,600 residents under evacuation orders to continue to take the fire seriously.
“Up until this point, it’s been a wind-driven fire,” Chief Anthony Marrone said. “If the wind changes direction, we’re going to have the fire moving into new areas.”
Fire activity around Pepperdine University’s Malibu campus has decreased, with only small flames remaining as firefighters tackle lingering hot spots, the school alerted at 9:58 p.m. Tuesday. Early assessments show no structural damage or injuries. A shelter-in-place protocol was lifted Wednesday morning, the university announced, and a precautionary power outage on campus ended.
The university has canceled all on-campus finals and announced remaining students would be allowed to leave on Wednesday morning.
While strong winds were prevalent late Monday and early Tuesday, conditions began to calm by Tuesday evening. The National Weather Service cautioned gusty winds still were expected through Wednesday morning, particularly in mountainous areas. The weather service has downgraded high-wind warnings to advisories.
Here’s the latest: