MALIBU, California, 12th December, 2024 (WAM) -- Firefighters on Wednesday progressed in containing a wildfire in the beach community of Malibu, California, where 6,300 people evacuated their homes as schools and businesses shut their doors.
Nearly 2,000 firefighters were battling the blaze, dubbed the Franklin Fire, which scorched more than 4,000 acres (1,620 hectares) since it began on Monday and has destroyed nine buildings and damaged six others, officials said. It was 7% contained as of Wednesday night.
The steep, rugged terrain northwest of Los Angeles prevented firefighters from reaching much of the blaze, which will take several more days to contain, said Dusty Martin, assistant fire chief with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
About 20,000 residents remained under evacuation orders and warnings Wednesday evening, said Capt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.
No deaths or injuries have been reported, and its cause remained under investigation, officials said.