The Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon exploded across nearly 2,000 acres overnight as much of Southern California was under warning and the risk of dangerous fire spread was high, prompting evacuations and shelter-in-place orders at Pepperdine University.

According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the brush fire broke out around 11 p.m. local time Monday evening (Tuesday, 2 a.m. ET) in the area of ​​Malibu Canyon Road and Station Boundary.

At 3:47 a.m. local time (6:47 a.m. ET), with 0% containment, it had spread to 1,822 acres, moving across the Pacific Coast Highway and striking structures.

The fire comes at a time when 12 million people in Southern California from San Luis Obispo to San Diego are under alert because of Santa Ana winds, low humidity and dry vegetation, making conditions ripe for particularly dangerous wildfire growth. Wind gusts of 50 to 80 miles per hour are possible, as well as the risk of downed trees and power outages.

Malibu, a beach town in the Santa Monica Mountains where celebrities live, was one of several areas experiencing a rare “particularly dangerous situation” (PDS), a red flag warning that lasted from 8 p.m. local time Monday night until Tuesday 2:00 p.m. was valid. due to damaging Santa Ana winds and very low humidity,” according to the Los Angeles National Weather Service Office.

Other areas covered by this PDS alert include the San Gabriel Mountains, the Santa Clarita Valley, Calabasas, the coasts and valleys of Ventura County, and the western San Fernando Valley. At all other times, red flag warnings are in effect in the same areas until 6pm on Wednesday.

The city of Malibu said in an update at 3 a.m. local time Tuesday that the fire had spread south across PCH to Malibu Road near Webb Way and through PCH to the area around Malibu Pier – a tourist attraction that is also popular with locals and surfers.

“The Malibu Pier and other structures are affected. Structures on Malibu Knolls Road and Sweetwater Cyn are affected,” the city said.

A mandatory evacuation order is in effect east of Malibu Canyon Road, south of Piuma Road and in the Serra Retreat area, fire officials said. The Palisades Recreation Center is an evacuation center.

Pepperdine University issued an emergency shelter-in-place order for community members early Tuesday around 1 a.m. local time. All campus members on the Malibu campus have been directed to shelter in place at the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library.

Videos on social media showed bright orange flames blazing furiously outside campus windows.

At 3 a.m. local time, the university wrote on X that “the worst of the fire is behind Pepperdine.”

“However, there are smaller, isolated fires on campus that do not threaten lives or buildings, and fire resources remain on campus to combat these isolated fires as they occur,” the statement continued. Due to power outages in Malibu, the protective protocol will be in effect until “at least until daylight.”

Normal operations at the Malibu campus were suspended Tuesday, including the cancellation of classes and final exams.

Southern California Edison implemented public safety power shutoffs due to increased wildfire danger, affecting over 10,000 customers in Los Angeles County, nearly 9,000 customers in San Bernardino County, and over 2,000 in Kern County. These closures also apply to large parts of Malibu, the city said.

The city of Malibu said all schools in Malibu were closed Tuesday until further notice and residents and visitors were asked to stay away from the area.

Malibu Canyon Road from Mullholland Highway to Pacific Coast Highway is also closed to the public, county officials said.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said her office was monitoring the fire. “Thank you to all the first responders working to fight this fire,” she wrote on X.

Some of the wind gusts recorded yesterday in Santa Ana reached speeds of nearly 100 miles per hour. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles reported a gust of 93 mph at the Magic Mountain Truck Trail, 77 mph at the Palo Sola Truck Trail and 74 mph at the Oakridge Oil Field.

Forecasters said “a strong, widespread and prolonged event in Santa Ana will bring widespread critical to extremely critical fire weather conditions in many areas of Los Angeles and Ventura County through Wednesday,” with many areas under a special hazard warning becomes.