A fast-moving wildfire forced Pepperdine University students and faculty to take emergency shelter early Tuesday morning as flames threatened the Malibu campus. The Franklin Fire prompted university officials to direct community members to shelter in place at the Payson Library and Tyler Campus Center.
"Very stressful seeing flames outside... we were so scared," student Gaby Salgado told local media after spending nearly four hours sheltering in the library. "Power is out... the wind was so strong. I knew it was dangerous."
The blaze, which started around 10:50 PM Monday night, has already consumed over 1,822 acres and remains completely uncontained according to Cal Fire. Los Angeles County Fire Department crews are battling the fire both on the ground and from the air.
While the most severe threat has passed the campus, small spot fires continue to emerge on university grounds. However, officials note these are not currently threatening lives or structures. Fire crews remain on site to address these flare-ups.
The university suspended all Malibu campus operations on Tuesday, canceling classes and final exams as the emergency continues. Power outages persist across much of the campus and surrounding Malibu area.
By 7:30 AM Tuesday, university administrators lifted the shelter-in-place order after assessing conditions at daybreak. However, they strongly advised community members to stay on campus as firefighting efforts continue in the Malibu area.
The Franklin Fire has forced evacuations of nearby residents, while others remain under evacuation warnings. Officials have closed Pacific Coast Highway between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Corral Canyon Road. No injuries or deaths have been reported.
The National Weather Service has issued a rare "Particularly Dangerous Situation" Fire Weather Warning for the region as strong Santa Ana winds continue to create hazardous fire conditions across Southern California.