Red Flag fire warnings are expected to remain in effect for the Malibu area along the Southern California coast until Wednesday afternoon following the Franklin Fire. The blaze has led to evacuation orders or warnings for 20,000 residents, including some celebrities, and over 8,000 homes and businesses. Tens of thousands have lost power, and schools have been forced to cancel classes.
The wildfire, which started on Monday, spread rapidly at its peak, consuming an area larger than five football fields per minute and destroying at least seven structures. Many residents, including longtime Malibu resident Fred Roberts, are facing the harsh reality of lost homes. Roberts expressed his shock at the devastation, reminiscing about playing in a friend's house in the area since childhood.
