New red flag warnings have been issued for the same locations in Malibu, one week after the Franklin Fire broke out.
Los Angeles and Ventura counties are under a fire weather watch and red flag warning, according to the National Weather Service. In places with reduced humidity, Santa Ana winds could reach 60 mph gusts. Since there hasn’t been any recent precipitation, the offshore winds make fires more likely.
There are still hot patches in the Malibu area, and officials are concerned that the winds may disperse embers and start other fires.
Southern California Edison has stated that power safety shutoffs are being contemplated for over 13,000 customers in Ventura County and almost 17,000 customers in LA County due to the predicted winds.
The Franklin Fire, which destroyed over 4,000 acres and forced people to evacuate, destroyed dozens of homes, and burst in the Malibu Canyon near Pepperdine University on December 9. As the recovery phase progresses, firefighters have raised the containment to 63% as of Tuesday morning.
Malibu Mayor Doug Stewart stated during a press conference on Tuesday that ten outbuildings and nine single-family homes were burned in the Franklin Fire. Additionally, it caused damage to five barns, seven business structures, and thirteen single-family homes.
A number of Malibu schools, including Pepperdine University, suspended classes last week. As students were told to stay indoors, they also changed the date of their final test.
“We are doing everything we can to prepare for this wind event and minimize impacts to the community,” Stewart stated.
According to Stewart, teams and resources are prepared in case a new fire breaks out.
In addition to air and ground resources, more over 2,000 firefighters were dispatched to combat the Franklin Fire at its height. In regions with steep terrain, troops benefited from water-dropping planes.
Recovery from a wildfire can take years, according to Kevin McGowan, director of LA County’s Office of Emergency Management. In collaboration with the city of Malibu, his office has opened a local aid center for fire victims at City Hall.
According to McGowan, the red flag warning that was issued prior to the Franklin Fire is more serious than the new one.
“We still have residents from the Woosley Fire going through the recovery process,” McGowan stated.
In 2018, the same region of Malibu was ravaged by the Woodsley Fire, which destroyed almost 97,000 acres. In addition to destroying hundreds of homes, the fire claimed three lives. It expanded to almost 70,000 acres in the first two days.
During the red flag warning, officials advise people to use caution while handling anything that could start a wildfire.
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