Celebrity homes in Malibu must be evacuated as fire spreads in Franklin

Celebrity homes in Malibu must be evacuated as fire spreads in Franklin

A growing wildfire driven by extreme Santa Ana winds is raging in one of Southern California’s wealthiest neighborhoods.

As of Tuesday morning, the Franklin Fire has burned more than 2,600 acres, closed all schools in Malibu, closed a portion of the Pacific Coast Highway and forced Pepperdine University students to seek shelter for hours. The fire has no containment. The city of Malibu said early Tuesday that the fire had spread along the Pacific Coast Highway and that the Malibu Pier and other structures had been “impacted,” although the extent of damage to the historic landmark was not yet clear.

The mandatory evacuation zone along the coast west of Los Angeles affects about 2,000 homes, including many multimillion-dollar properties, some owned by celebrities. A $21 million Malibu Road mansion recently sold by Ye, formerly Kanye West, is under mandatory eviction order, as is the beach house made famous in Lana Del Rey’s “High by the Beach” music video and which, according to reports, also once belonged to Stern.

The most exclusive stretch of coastline in Malibu, Carbon Beach, also known as Billionaire’s Beach, is located in the center of the evacuation zone. The street is home to numerous properties reportedly owned by Oracle founder Larry Ellison, including a $48 million mansion designed by Getty Center architect Richard Meier. Famous Japanese fine dining eatery Nobu Malibu is also in jeopardy, as is the mansion that the restaurant’s co-founder Meir Teper recently put on the market for nearly $20 million. Across the street, Malibu’s traditional and quirky McDonald’s is even closer to the flames.

One of the most expensive homes in California, which was purchased by Beyoncé and Jay-Z in 2023 for an incredible $190 million, is also currently under an evacuation warning.

The upscale Malibu Beach Inn on Carbon Beach closed its doors to guests on Tuesday. “The Franklin Fire in Malibu has forced the evacuation of the city of Malibu and surrounding areas, including the Malibu Beach Inn and Spa,” the resort wrote on its website.

Anyone in the mandatory evacuation zone has been warned that their lives are in imminent danger. “This is an order from law enforcement to leave immediately. “The area is legally closed to public access,” Cal Fire said. Evacuation information and updates can be found via Genasys.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *