A forest fire has hit the Californian coastal town of Malibu, popular with Hollywood stars and the wealthy. The fire destroyed more than 1,150 hectares of land in the area west of Los Angeles,the fire department said.
Meanwhile, the flames from the hinterland reached the beaches. More than 1,500 firefighters are on duty. According to the city management,parts of the famous Pacific Coast highway are closed.
In the village, houses near the pier were also at risk, it was said. Thousands of people were forced to flee the affected areas overnight – including some celebrities such as singer Cher and actress Mira Sorvino. According to the police, around 20,000 people have been affected by the evacuation orders and warnings.
Some houses destroyed
Aerial reconnaissance showed an undetermined number of homes were destroyed or damaged, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone told reporters.”The entire fire area remains under threat.” There were no reports of injuries or deaths.
The “Franklin Fire” broke out on Monday afternoon and spread overnight. All schools in the city were still closed. At the private Pepperdine University, all lectures and exams were cancelled.
Local media published video footage showing smoke and flames in the immediate vicinity of a library where students wearing protective masks had retreated. The authorities called the residents of the city through the online service
AP/Ethan Swope
High alert level in various parts of California
The US Weather Service has issued a red alert for large regions of southern California.Strong winds and drought encouraged the development and spread of fires.
California already has several wildfires and has been hit by several heat waves this year. In July and August,the fourth largest fire in the history of the West Coast state raged in California.