California wildfire forces evacuations in Malibu; Pepperdine U students shelter in place

A rapidly intensifying wildfire burning just northwest of Los Angeles forced some residents in Malibu to evacuate as it threatened homes, knocked out power and closed roads in the beach community. The brush fire blaze, called the Franklin Fire, grew overnight from five acres (two hectares) to 2,200 acres (737 hectares) along steep terrain, spreading south over the Pacific Coast Highway in the picturesque coastal city of about 10,000 people. The fire, which has not yet been contained, has destroyed a small number of homes, but has not caused any injuries or deaths, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told a news conference on Tuesday. "We are going to have a coordinated ground and air assault," Marrone said, noting that 300 additional firefighters will join the 700 already battling the blaze. "Because of the difficulties in this particular area, time is of the essence for us to grab a hold of this fire." The fire's cause remains unknown, Marrone said. An order for people to shelter in place was issued overnight for Pepperdine University in Malibu, forcing some students to evacuate to the school's commons and library.
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