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Conditions late Monday were conducive to explosive wildfires.
Forecasters had issued rare, particularly dangerous fire weather warnings for much of Southern California as Santa Ana’s strong winds were expected to make an already dry landscape even drier.
So when the Franklin Fire broke out in Malibu on Monday night, it had the makings of a real disaster.
Malibu is one of Southern California’s most fire-prone areas, often in the Santa Ana wind path that directs wildfires toward the Pacific Ocean.
But this time, coastal cities seem to be able to catch a breather.
A fire helicopter drops water on the Franklin Fire above Malibu Canyon. On December 10, 2024, the Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon grew to more than 2,200 acres on a hillside near Pepperdine University, fueled by fierce Santa Ana winds.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Winds had weakened by Tuesday afternoon and did not reach historic speeds. This allowed airborne fire attacks by planes and helicopters, which authorities say helped save homes.
The space for the fire to spread was also minimized, as the fire location was not far from the sea.
Although Malibu is not out of the danger zone, property damage is reported to be moderate and no major injuries were reported. This is in sharp contrast to some of the devastating fires that have hit the region in recent years.
A wildfire in Ventura County last month, like the Thomas and Woolsey fires, was ignited by huge winds that spread flames for miles and grounded firefighting planes.
By Tuesday afternoon, the Franklin Fire had grown to an estimated 2,700 acres and widespread evacuations remain in place. The National Weather Service reported sustained winds of up to 45 mph and gusts of up to 105 mph around the fire, but the worst winds that tend to be the driving force behind these dangerous late-season fires have passed.
“Most of the time…we’re going to see them.” [winds] It’s decreasing,” said Mike Wofford, a National Weather Service meteorologist in Oxnard. “It should be much less tomorrow.”
Wofford said winds exceeded 80 to 90 mph in a wide area late Monday and into Tuesday, but wind speeds near the Franklin Fire were significantly lower. That wasn’t the case with last month’s wildfires, where hurricane-force winds pushed embers more than three miles from the main fire line.
Campers climb a steep hillside on the Franklin Fire in Malibu on Dec. 10, 2024.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
“The wildfire conditions were meteorologically different because this area is susceptible to easterly winds,” Wofford said. He said the Franklin Fire’s location east of the Santa Monica Mountains probably helped reduce wind speeds. He predicts the fire could have been much worse if it had started west of Santa Monica, where the Woolsey Fire originated.
“The winds in Santa Ana tend to be easterly, so the western part of Santa Monica is affected more,” Wofford said, explaining that the winds tend to come from the Santa Clarita area and through the mountain passes. He said the area between the Santa Monica and Santa Susanna Mountains is more exposed to these dangerous winds.
Lighter winds also aided initial response to the firefight, and during the first hours of the Franklin Fire, helicopters with night vision flew most of the night to direct crews to the most urgent areas. could be induced to attack. By dawn, two large aerial refueling vessels known as super scoopers had also been able to join the operation, officials said.
“There’s a lot of terrain, valleys, drainage channels, and on top of that we have high winds. All of these factors can work together to create very dangerous fire conditions. So we’re doing everything we can to “We are working hard to ensure this,” said L.A. County Fire Chief Kearynohopono Burns.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Malone said strong winds prevented the aircraft from landing for a short period of time around 3 a.m., but “we were able to operate in high winds” the rest of the night.
An Orange County Fire Department helicopter takes off after pumping water from a pond at Pepperdine University during efforts to extinguish the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Dec. 10, 2024.
(Myung Jae-chun/Los Angeles Times)
Ventura County Fire spokesman Andrew Dowd said during the first hours of last month’s wildfires, winds kept most planes from touching the ground for long periods of time, but helicopter rescues were still possible. That’s what it means.
But officials say whatever advantage firefighters had at the Franklin Fire compared with previous fires, they were unable to stop a massive ground and air attack. A large helicopter flew around Pepperdine University on Tuesday, dove into a lagoon to take in water, and then a huge plume of smoke billowed into the distance.
“We will continue to attack this fire with a coordinated air and ground attack for as long as necessary,” Marrone said. “Time is of the essence for us to seize the fire and begin containment.”
While conditions in Malibu may not be the worst firefighters have seen, the fire in Franklin left several vehicles ablaze and residents forced to evacuate in fear. Damage to the structure is still under investigation.
Jessica Jones and Matthew Ryder grabbed essentials before the Franklin fire reached their home at Serra Retreat: Important documents. A bag with clothes. 3 goats. Pot-bellied pig.
The fire reached the property as the couple left around midnight and waited on the side of the Pacific Coast Highway to plan where to go next. They arrived at the Palisades Park shelter around 6:30 a.m. Tuesday, sleeping in a truck in a hiking trail parking lot.
“It was insane,” Jones said. “There was a bright red flame and glow of fire all around the ridge as we left.”
Times staff writers Richard Winton and Joseph Sarna contributed to this report.
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