Wildfire Engulfs 20 Homes Above Malibu

By ROBERT JABLON

MALIBU, Calif. – A fast-moving wildfire destroyed about 20 homes and spread through the canyons and hills above Malibu on Saturday, forcing hundreds of residents to flee. No injuries were reported.

The blaze, feeding on brush and trees and driven by the dry Santa Ana wind, began shortly before 3:30 a.m. PST near Malibu Lake on state park land and burned roughly 1,500 acres in about five hours, said Los Angeles County fire Capt. Mike Brown.

Fire officials estimated about 20 homes had been destroyed, but the exact number was not known. The cause of the fire had not been determined.

An enormous wall of smoke rose up over the hills and canyons.

About 200 homes in three communities were evacuated, Brown said. An evacuation center was set up at a local high school.

Officials at Pepperdine University told their students to move to a campus shelter as a precaution. However, the university was largely empty because of the holiday weekend.

"Prior to the Thanksgiving holiday I was told the weather conditions was Santa Ana winds and we all know what that means," said university spokesman Jerry Derloshon.

The blaze was blowing downhill toward the Pacific Ocean. It jumped Pacific Coast Highway, the main thoroughfare along the coast, spreading small spot fires.

About 500 firefighters were at work on the blaze, aided by 10 water-dropping helicopters, but had not contained any part of the fire by midmorning.

"We’re at the mercy of the winds right now," Brown said.

Hundreds of firefighters had been placed on watch for the weekend as the Santa Ana wind returned to Southern California. Gusts up to 60 mph were reported in some mountain passes during the night.