Many want to know what caused the Malibu fire, officially known as the Franklin fire, as the blaze continues to expand on Wednesday. The status update for the Malibu fire at 11:08 AM PT on December 11 says that the incident is still active. It remains at 7% containment and has a footprint of 3,983 acres, nearly double the size of the blaze yesterday. Over 20,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate, including celebrities Cher, Mark Hamill, and Dick Van Dyke who have homes in the area. Here’s what we know so far about what started the Franklin fire in Malibu.
How did the Malibu fire start?
Officials are still investigating what started the Malibu fire, at the time of writing. That said, Cal Fire states that 95% of wildfires are caused by humans, whether it is due to campfires, vehicles, equipment, debris, or more.
Investigators urge residents not to speculate about the origin of the fire, per The Malibu Times. There’s no evidence thus far that arson caused the Malibu fire. They also remind residents that it takes time and precise analysis to figure out how any significant blaze starts. (We will update this with any new information from investigators on the cause of the fire.)
As reported by ABC7, the Franklin Fire was first reported on Monday at around 11 PM PT in the area near Malibu Canyon Road to the north of the Pacific Coast Highway. Since flames could be seen to the north side of Pepperdine University, a shelter-in-place order was issued for the entire campus (and was later lifted).
The brush fire has exploded since Monday night and has been a challenge for firefighters to contain. A Red Flag Warning remains in effect until 2 PM PT today for Malibu Coast and Ventura Coastal Plain, while Santa Ana winds bring critical fire weather conditions across Los Angeles and Ventura counties.
In such dangerous conditions, an incidental spark can turn into blazing wildfires. As reported by Cal Matters, 95% of the wildfires in California in 2023 were started by humans, whether it’s driving cars with flat tires, burning toilet paper, setting off smoke bombs, mowing the lawn, or power utility companies not maintaining power lines. While uncommon, arsons count for about 10% of California fires.
