Firefighters in Malibu, near Pepperdine University, were engaged in battling a brushfire early Tuesday amidst dangerous fire conditions caused by the Santa Ana winds prevalent in Southern California. The blaze, dubbed the Franklin Fire, had consumed an estimated 2.6 square miles (6.7 square kilometers) with structures being threatened, as reported by Los Angeles County Fire Department officials.
An evacuation order was issued for approximately 6,000 individuals and over 2,000 structures, according to information provided by fire officials to KABC-TV. Pepperdine University took precautionary measures by canceling classes and finals for the day, along with issuing a shelter-in-place order. The campus was within sight of the flames, prompting the deployment of fire engines and helicopters to combat the fire by dropping water collected from nearby lakes onto the affected areas.
