Wildfire spreading quickly in western Malibu

LOS ANGELES: A wind-fanned wildfire quickly spread early today in Malibu, where many Hollywood elites reside in the western US state of California, threatening buildings and prompting evacuations, local officials said.

The Franklin Fire broke out yesterday evening and in just hours had rapidly burned through more than 1,800 acres in the coastal city, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE).

Many celebrities and Hollywood executives own multi-million dollar homes on the co astline, one of the most desirable areas in Southern California.

Pepperdine University said it had cancelled classes and final exams for today as emergency personnel rushed to contain the blaze.

Billowing smoke and burning trees could be seen just outside a library where students wearing protective masks were sheltering, videos posted online and broadcast by local media showed.

The city of Malibu said in an emergency alert at 11.22am that the flames had descended from the hills across the Pacific Coast Highway, and that officials were conducting evacuations “door-to-door”.

“Malibu Pier & other structures, & structures on Malibu Knolls Rd & Sweetwater Cyn are impacted,” it said.

Most of the Southern California area is under a red flag warning by the national weather service (NWS), with gusty winds and low humidity elevating the risks of quick-moving fires.