LOS ANGELES — 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. “Crews are working tirelessly around the clock to establish containment lines and defend structures,” Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a Wednesday morning news conference. 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, Marrone said.
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. “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 a.
