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By Aliss Higham
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Firefighters are tackling a major blaze in Malibu that has spread across thousands of acres since it began on Monday.
The Franklin Fire, which began at around 11 p.m. PST on Monday along Malibu Canyon Road in the hills north of Pepperdine University, has spread throughout 3,049 acres in Los Angeles County. The blaze is currently not at all contained, with 1,500 firefighters working on putting it out.
"Today, firefighters actively worked on containment efforts along the perimeter of the fire," the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Calfire) said in its latest update, issued at 9:30 p.m. "The deep and rugged terrain, along with the strong winds and low humidity, continue to pose challenges for firefighters. Nevertheless, firefighters continued to aggressively work to control the fire and protect structures."
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Strong Santa Ana winds in recent days have pushed moist air from the Pacific Ocean away from land, contributing to the fire spreading rapidly. The cause of the fire is still unknown.
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Images and videos posted on social media show the blaze being blown between trees, with sparks flying down a road. Another clip shows a man attempting to tackle the blaze encroaching on his home by throwing water from his swimming pool.
During a news conference Tuesday evening, L.A. County Fire Department Chief Anthony C. Marrone reported that an initial aerial survey estimates seven structures have been destroyed and eight others damaged.
The Pepperdine University Malibu campus is among the areas impacted, with students ordered to shelter in place. An update from the university at 10 p.m. on Tuesday said the fire around the campus has "greatly diminished" with early analysis indicating "there has been little to no damage to structures around campus, and no injuries have been reported."
Elsewhere, there are two mandatory evacuation orders in place:
- South of Piuma Road, north of the Pacific Ocean coastline, east of Puerco Canyon Road/Corral Canyon Park, west of Los Flores Canyon Road
- Between the Pacific Ocean coastline and Tuna Canyon Park to the west of Tuna Canyon Road
According ABC7 Eyewitness News, fire officials have reported that the evacuation orders affect some 6,000 people and more than 2,000 structures, while evacuation warnings in surrounding areas extend to 12,500 people and in excess 6,000 structures.
Several celebrities with homes in Malibu are included in those who have been required leave the area, according to a report by the Associated Press. Actor Dick Van Dyke and singer Cher have both evacuated their homes due to the blaze.
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