Franklin Fire tears through same areas of Malibu devastated by Woolsey Fire
Six years after the Woolsey Fire tore through Los Angeles and Ventura counties, killing three people and destroying hundreds of homes, the Franklin Fire erupted Monday night in the same area of Malibu devastated by the 2018 wildfire.
Thousands of people remain evacuated from their homes Tuesday afternoon after the blaze sparked near Malibu Creek State Park around 10:45 p.m. the night before, with closures along the Pacific Coast Highway and a shelter-in-place order at Pepperdine University — all mirroring conditions of the wildfire that burned nearly 97,000 acres years earlier.
About 12 hours after it first sparked, around 12:30 p.m. Tuesday, the Franklin Fire was estimated to be just over 2,700 acres, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire.
When the Woolsey Fire broke out in November 2018, it quickly exploded in size and spread to multiple cities as it jumped the 101 Freeway. Within two days, it had burned more than 70,000 acres.
So far, the Franklin Fire appears to be moving at a slower rate, with authorities saying firefighting efforts have prevented further damage. Still, the wildfire has destroyed multiple homes, its flames driven by powerful Santa Ana winds which also fueled the Woolsey Fire. Both blazes erupted in late fall, a time of year when the state can see even more destructive and deadly wildfires compared to the summer due to the seasonal Santa Anas coupled with low humidity, according to researchers and fire experts.
But a few things have changed since the Woolsey Fire ripped through two Southern California counties.
For one, firefighters and other emergency responders are now communicating with a radio system known as LA-RICS (Los Angeles Regional Interoperable Communications System), which works during widespread power outages triggered by fires and the weather conditions that can lead to them. The system was purchased following the Woolsey Fire, according to Matt Myerhoff, a spokesperson for the city of Malibu.
Another difference mentioned by one Malibu resident who spoke to the Los Angeles Times is the emergency notifications, which he said he received just as the Franklin Fire broke out. James Perry said his family relied on those warnings as they lost electricity, and with it, all cellphone service and Wi-Fi connection. During the Woolsey Fire, he said, he didn't receive any such notifications.
Meanwhile, one circumstance that's remained the same is Pepperdine University's handling of the situation.
With the campus along the Pacific Coast Highway threatened by the growing fire Monday night, school officials issued a shelter-in-place order for those on the university grounds — even as people in nearby areas faced mandatory evacuation orders.
"Despite any evacuation orders from Malibu city or surrounding areas, the University community should follow University instructions," the campus said in a post to X. "We do not evacuate the campus even when surrounding areas might - this shelter-in-place protocol is approved by LA County Fire and executed with their cooperation."
Pepperdine has maintained that practice for years, also announcing a shelter-in-place order when the Woolsey Fire broke out in 2018. At the time, parents of students expressed concerns as flames tore through hillsides near the campus. Even as some criticized the policy, and called for evacuations, then-president of the university, Andrew Benton, told students and others at the campus to stay, saying "You're safe here."
The shelter-in-place order announced just after 1 a.m. Monday remained in place for several hours, with students told to stay inside certain university buildings.
"I've been hearing from friends that have been stuck in the library, stuck in the cafe all night," said Henry Adams, a student at Pepperdine. "It's just been very exhausting. Lot of anxiety, lot of fear."
