California Wildfire Strike Again: Franklin Fire in Malibu

On Monday, Dec. 9 a wildfire sparked in Malibu, CA forcing many beachside residents and celebrities to evacuate. The area was under “red flag warnings” through Wednesday due to the low humidity and strong winds that have topped 90 mph.

Red flag warnings are issued when warm temperatures, low humidity, and strong winds are expected to produce fires. The last red flags went up in November of this year when dry winds powered the Mountain Fire which destroyed 240 buildings in Ventura County.

The Franklin Fire has blazed across more than 4,000 acres as of Monday.

20% of the fire has been contained as of Thursday. Assistant fire chief Dusty Martin with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection says it will take several more days to contain the Franklin Fire.

Martin’s priority is to get residents back into their homes as quickly as possible.

During a news conference Wednesday night he says, “But to do that, we have to make sure the area is safe, where we can let folks back in.”

The wildfire burns in areas of very steep terrain which are difficult for many of the 1,900 firefighters to access.

Luckily, cooler temperatures, calm winds, and a chance of rainfall has been forecasted which will aid in putting out the fire.

The blaze has passed through many celebrity mansions, horse ranches, and Pepperdine University which has set a shelter in place for its students. There has been no major damage to the University and classes have been cancelled through the rest of the week.

All Malibu schools have also been closed through Thursday. San Diego County schools have been affected by power outages and harsh weather.

Actor Dick Van Dyke is one of the many celebrities who were forced to evacuate their homes. The Disney Legend has relocated with his wife and cats, with the exception of one.

Dyke says in a recent Facebook post, “We’re praying he’ll be OK and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires.”

According to KABC-TV, the home belonging to the actor's neighbor had caught fire but Dyke’s remains untouched.

Grammy-winner Cher has also fled her home and Star Wars actor Mark Hamil went into lockdown on Tuesday. Musicians Beyonce, Jay-Z, Lady Gaga and actress Julia Roberts are reportedly among those located in the evacuation zone.

At least nine homes have been destroyed due to the ongoing fire and another six have faced damage as of Wednesday.

Power had been shut off for around 40,000 residents including 11,000 in LA County on Monday. This was due to the harms of wind gusts damaging electrical equipment and causing further fires.

Scientists attribute many of these California wildfires to the ongoing climate change crisis, though not all wildfires are tied to this claim. Climate change has led to changes in heat and drought which lead to wildfires.

22,000 people were to have been affected by this fire, yet no injuries or deaths have been reported. The Franklin Fire's causes remain under investigation by the fire department and arson investigators.

Natalee Bravo is a first-year majoring in journalism. To contact her email nbb5612@psu.edu.