US brush fire destroys homes, forces evacuations as authorities investigate arson as a possible cause

By Darren Lyn

HOUSTON, United States (AA) - Thousands of residents in Southern California are being forced to evacuate their homes Tuesday because of a fast-spreading brush fire in Malibu, which has already scorched 2,200 acres of land.

The blaze started just before midnight local time Monday in Malibu, 30 miles (48 kilometers) west of Los Angeles, and fire officials said it spread quickly due to the strong Santa Ana winds with gusts between 50 and 80 miles per hour (80 to 129 kilometers per hour).

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said at a news conference that a "minimal number" of homes have already been destroyed, although he did not cite an exact number.

Fire officials, however, said more than 8,000 homes and structures were under immediate threat due to the blaze and more than 2,000 residents were forced to evacuate their homes. Another 10,000 residents are also under evacuation warnings and are being told they need to be ready to flee at a moment's notice if the direction of the fire comes their way.

"I believe that the winds are going to be continuing, so that's going to create challenges for the fire department and for the LA County Sheriff's Department with evacuations," said Marrone. "We are going to have a coordinated air and ground assault on this fire for as long as it takes."

The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) issued a warning to all residents in affected areas to remain on high alert and follow all evacuation orders, especially in areas under mandatory evacuation.

"An immediate threat to life. This is an order by law enforcement to leave immediately," CAL FIRE said on its website. "The area is lawfully closed to public access."

Nearly 700 firefighters were battling the blaze, with ground crews building containment lines to try and prevent the fire from spreading, and aircraft water drops being conducted to hit major hot spots.

California Gov. Gavin Newsom said the state had already secured funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help with the costs of fighting the fire.

"Fire officials and first responders are working relentlessly to protect lives and property from the Franklin Fire," Newsom said in a statement. "California is grateful for this federal support, which bolsters these efforts."

"I urge all residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow evacuation orders," he added.

Nearly 40,000 customers were without electricity, with some outages due to the fire, but the majority of the shutoffs planned, according to Southern California Edison -- the primary electric utility in Southern California -- spokesperson David Eisenhauer. He said the outages were deliberate to limit the chances that damaged utility equipment could "emit sparks and start a fire."

Authorities said the cause of the fire remains unknown, but they are investigating every possible scenario, including arson.

"The L.A. County Fire Department and the L.A. County Sheriff's Department are going to join forces with our arson investigators because it's going to be critical that we learn why this fire started," said Marrone.