Webster Elementary in Malibu reopens after Franklin Fire repairs
One month after the Franklin Fire erupted in Malibu and scorched over 4,000 acres, Webster Elementary School reopened to students on Monday after repairs were made to the fire-damaged campus.
Schools in Malibu were closed as the wildfire forced thousands to evacuate and Webster was the only public school that sustained fire damage, including ground solar panels, some campus buildings and roofs.
Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District Superintendent Dr. Antonio Shelton said a professional restoration and cleaning service and industrial hygienist worked over winter break to ensure a clean, healthy, and safe campus.
"Crews thoroughly cleaned and restored inside and outside the Webster campus to the highest industry standards including all classroom contents, heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems, electronics, carpets, floors, and building exteriors," Shelton wrote to campus families and the community.
He did say there are still parts of the campus that need more work, specifically cleaning within the library, but that school resumes Monday with a minimum day.
As students arrived at the campus, one parent said she's excited her daughter is back at the school.
"They've been out of school since the day of the fire and we're so excited that she's going back. It's been a very extended winter break," parent Amber Ugarte said. "So we're happy to be back and I know there's going to be the Santa Ana's coming in soon, so we're all keeping our fingers crossed that we don't get another break from school."
Our Lady of Malibu School, a private school, reopened Monday to students as well. The school had been closed since the wildfire due to smoke damage, broken windows and burns to the surrounding property.
A red flag warning was in place when the Dec. 9 wildfire broke out, and the cause of the Franklin Fire is still under investigation. While it forced thousands of Malibu households to evacuate, there were no significant injuries or deaths due to the blaze. Overall, 20 structures were destroyed and 28 were damaged, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Another red flag warning is going into effect one day after Webster Elementary reopens due to a major Santa Ana wind event.
The National Weather Service has issued a red flag warning for parts of Los Angeles and Ventura counties starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday through 6 p.m. Thursday.
Power shutoffs are also a possibility for the area, as Southern California Edison warns 70,313 customers in Los Angeles County are under consideration.
