Fast-moving brush fire in Malibu prompts evacuations, school ...

This is a developing story and will be updated. For the most up-to-date information about the fire you can check:

A fast-moving brush fire quickly grew to more than 2,200 acres in Malibu by Tuesday morning amid high winds and extreme fire danger. Authorities warn the fire "continues to pose a significant threat" and are asking that both residents and visitors avoid the area.

Mandatory evacuations are in place, Malibu schools are closed and Pacific Coast Highway, the main way in and out, is shuttered as firefighters work in tough conditions.

What we know so far

The Franklin Fire started shortly before 11 p.m. near Malibu Canyon Road and Station Boundary, according to L.A. County Fire officials. City officials said the fire sparked about three miles north of Pacific Coast Highway, and that the cause was not immediately clear.

At around 3 a.m., Malibu officials reported that the fire had spread south over PCH, threatening structures by Malibu Pier, Malibu Road, Malibu Knolls and Sweetwater Mesa

The Pepperdine University student newspaper reported that the campus was "experiencing a power outage" due to the fire, saying school officials had warned at 11:30 p.m. that the fire could grow to 100 acres. An hour later, student journalists reported that the university had not activated shelter-in-place orders, the school's protocol in case of fire.

By 1 a.m., anyone on campus was told to relocate to the campus center or library:

Later Tuesday, Pepperdine officials said the worst of the fire had moved on and lifted the shelter-in-place order around 7:30 a.m.

Malibu officials also closed all schools for Tuesday, citing the ongoing fire dangers. SoCal Edison also reported large swaths of the area without power due to the fire activity, according to its outage map.

Fears that the fire could grow overnight proved warranted. National Weather Service officials reported that winds were expected "to increase to 30 to 40 mph with gusts to 65 mph." At the same time humidity was expected to remain low — conditions ripe for devastating fires.

Authorities had warned that the danger for fire is particularly high through at least Wednesday.

The basics

• Acreage: 2,200 acres as of 7:10 a.m. Tuesday
• Containment: 0%
• Structures destroyed: A "minimal" number have likely been destroyed, but officials said they don't yet have an estimate
• Deaths: None
• Injuries: None
• Personnel: 700 firefighters, water-dropping aircraft deployed

Evacuations

The City of Malibu reports the following mandatory evacuations as of Tuesday morning:

• Mandatory evacuations for Serra Retreat, Zone MAL-C112, MAL-C112, MCR-U021A, RMB-U030, SDP-U029-A (see CalFire map below)

Note: an mandatory evacuation is an order by law enforcement to leave immediately due to a serious threat to life and property.

Evacuation warnings

• MAL-C113, MCR-U021-B, MTN-U028, SDP-U029-B, SSM-U010, TOP-U008, VST-U022

Evacuation shelter

1. Palisade Recreation Center, 851 Alma Real Dr., Pacific Palisades (Small pets welcome in carriers and crates.)

Large animal evacuation center

• Palisades Recreation Center: 851 Alma Real Drive
• Pierce College in Woodland Hills: 6201 Winnetka Avenue at Victory Boulevard

Road closures

Hotel discounts, assistance

SoCal Edison has an assistance program for customers experiencing an extended outage. The special rates can be tapped at participating hotels within 20 miles of an outage. Those hotels are listed here.

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