Wind-driven Franklin fire in Malibu continues to threaten homes

Firefighters worked overnight to gain control over a dangerous fire that burned homes in Malibu and forced thousands to evacuate.

The Franklin fire continued to menace the coastal city, growing by 39% overnight and burning close to some residential neighborhoods and an RV park.

At least seven homes have been destroyed and nine damaged, but officials said that number could rise as they do more complete assessments. The fire had burned more than 3,900 acres and was 7% contained as of Wednesday morning, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.

The blaze was reported a few minutes before 11 p.m. Monday along Malibu Canyon Road in the hills north of Pepperdine University and grew quickly, fanned by strong Santa Ana winds, Cal Fire said.

Overnight, the fire’s western edge became more active, backing down into Corral Canyon toward the Malibu RV park community, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a Wednesday morning news conference.

Despite the challenges overnight, crews improved containment lines by dropping fire retardant and creating more fire breaks along the eastern edge of the blaze, located in rugged terrain. More than 1,500 firefighters are battling the fire, Marrone said.

“Crews are working tirelessly around the clock to establish containment lines and defend structures,” Marrone said.

By Tuesday evening, average wind speeds around the fire zone had slowed to 15 to 25 mph — a considerable drop from peak wind gusts of up to 65 mph that were recorded when the fire ignited, said National Weather Service Meteorologist Rose Schoenfeld.

A red-flag fire danger warning remains in effect for the area until 6 p.m. Wednesday with forecasters warning of strong Santa Ana winds and very low humidity. But winds are expected to ease after that, and firefighters hope to make more progress containing the blaze.

“The city of Malibu awoke again to a very red sunrise. This morning it was from the lingering smoke in the sky rather than the approaching line of fire,” Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart said. “We’re far better off this morning than we were in the last 30-plus hours.”

Still, officials said many residents living in the fire’s path are still waiting to hear about the status of their homes. Some spent a second night without power or cell service.

“To our Malibu community, we know you’re hurting,” Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said. “Thank you for checking in on one another. Thank you for remaining vigilant as we get this fire under control. Know that we are working hard to bring safety and normalcy back to Malibu.”

Past the security gates of Serra Retreat is a small enclave of luxury properties that’s home to celebrities such as Patrick Dempsey, Dick Van Dyke and at one time Mel Gibson. On the fire’s first night, it caught many in the area by surprise. Pets were killed and several cars and homes burned, including one on Mariposa De Oro Street, residents say.

Van Dyke wrote on Facebook that he and his wife, Arlene Silver, evacuated from their home.

“Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for Bobo escaped as we were leaving,” he wrote, referring to his cat. “We’re praying he’ll be ok and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires.”

Alec Gellis, 31, was riding through the neighborhood on his e-bike checking on homes Tuesday afternoon. He and a friend stayed behind overnight Monday into Tuesday to protect properties in the area. The fire, he said, broke out fast. Around 11 p.m. he was in his room when he heard people screaming outside and cars honking.

“The sky was red and the whole canyon was was lit up on the other side,” he said. “We were surrounded by flames. Literally everywhere you looked there was fire.”

He and his friend, 33-year-old Abel Rodgers, grabbed a hose connected to a machine that pumped water from the pool and began spraying down their home. Firefighters were busy trying to push back flames, so for five hours, the two men soaked everything they could, even venturing into neighbors’ yards to help put out spot fires.

Rich Leo was stranded at a gas station on Pacific Coast Highway as spot fires burned around Malibu on Tuesday.

He parked his SUV at a Chevron station, low on gas and flirted with the idea of leaving the area to refuel.

“But I don’t know if I would be able to come back home,” Leo, 79, said as he stood outside the gas station that had no power.

Leo is a longtime resident, over 40 years, and recalls when the Woolsey fire burned through Malibu and down to the coast.

“This one was bad,” he said of the Franklin fire. “It kept jumping and wherever I looked I saw fire last night.”

The fire had only been going for a couple of hours when firefighters banged on the door to his town home near Winter Canyon Road around 1 a.m. but he refused to leave. He worried about the staff at the nearby Our Lady of Malibu Catholic Church and school.

He wanted to stay behind to make sure everyone was OK.

At the nearby church, a lone parishioner rode into the school on a bicycle. The fire burned right up to the property line and scorched wooden fence posts and vegetation but firefighters were able to keep the fire from touching the property.

A man who identified himself as Mike walked through the school grounds where the gates were opened and all the water taps were running.

“I just wanted to make sure that everyone was OK and the school was standing,” Mike said. “My kids used to come here when they were little. My house burned down in the Woolsey fire so I know what it means when this happens.”

He made his way around a kindergarten classroom as firefighting helicopters flying overhead rattled the windows. Another man appeared out of the brush with a blue bucket filled with water.

“I’m just trying to do what I can,” said the man, who doused a smoldering fire at the fence line. He declined to give his name and only said that he lived on the hillside around the school.