MALIBU—A brush fire forced several homeowners in Malibu to evacuate, as over 200 firefighters arrived on the scene to battle the blaze.
The fire was first reported on Monday, January 29 at around 3:15 a.m. near Civic Center Way and Webb Way. Officials from the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department – Malibu and Lost Hills Station suspect the fire began behind the Malibu Library.
The fire quickly spread to cover about 2.6 acres, threatening homes and structures in the area. Brian Kapf, a resident of a home near the flames, told the Los Angeles Times that he rushed over to his father’s home, which was also nearby.
As a result of the imminent threat, mandatory evacuations were forced for people living in the areas of Harbor Vista Drive, Colony View Circle, and Malibu Crest Drive. A total of 10 homes were evacuated in the Malibu Knolls neighborhood. Over 200 firefighters reported to the scene to stop the flames and prevented them from damaging any of the structures.
The city of Malibu indicated on its Facebook page that evacuation orders were lifted after 4 a.m. for the Malibu Knolls neighborhood in Civic Center area after the fire was contained. There were no reports of any injuries.
The brush fire came with record high temperatures for the day in January, reaching upwards of 80 degrees in some regions. A red flag warning was released over the weekend warning about the impact of Santa Ana winds in the region.
Officials are still working to determine the exact cause of the fire. The Los Angeles Times reported, the blaze may have been caused by a local homeless encampment, where passers reported seeing open flames and portable stoves.
