The inferno began as a brush fire in Malibu, first igniting on Monday. At that time it was only burning in an area around 10 acres. Now the wildfire threatens thousands of buildings, including famed Pepperdine University. Veuer’s Tony Spitz has the details.
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00:00A wildfire has exploded in southern California. The inferno began as a brush fire in Malibu,
00:05first igniting on Monday when it was reported it was only burning in an area around 10 acres.
00:10By Tuesday morning, the blaze, which has now been named the Franklin Fire, had grown and now covers
00:15an area at least 1,800 acres large. The fire is now edging towards nearby Pepperdine University,
00:21with the school canceling all classes. Other nearby areas have already been issued evacuation
00:26orders, with 6,000 residents now being told to leave due to the danger. Experts say the
00:31rapid growth of the fire is largely due to the famous Santa Ana winds, sometimes referred to
00:36as the devil winds. They are notoriously strong and extremely dry gusts that originate in the
00:41Great Basin. These high-pressure winds are known to literally fam the flames of wildfires,
00:46increasing their ability to cover large swaths of land extremely quickly. Those winds are
00:50currently blowing at speeds upwards of 40 miles an hour, according to the National Weather Service.
00:54Experts say the fire tripled in size in just one hour and continues to grow.