Bryson Fire Malibu: Evacuations as 200 Acres Burn

The bryson fire malibu emergency escalated overnight Thursday as a wind-driven brushfire raced through western Malibu, swelling past 200 acres with zero containment and forcing evacuations across a broad stretch of the coast.

The blaze broke out late Thursday afternoon near Encinal Canyon Road west of Mulholland Highway, close to a Los Angeles County youth probation camp. Fanned by fierce Santa Ana winds, it grew from a fraction of an acre to about 20 acres within half an hour and passed 200 acres by evening, drawing water- and retardant-dropping helicopters and air tankers.

Evacuation orders covered the Zuma and Trancas canyons area, with warnings extending from Malibu Road and Pacific Coast Highway to Leo Carrillo State Beach. County officials moved 38 youth from Campus Vernon Kilpatrick to a juvenile hall in Sylmar, and the Red Cross opened an emergency shelter at Agoura High School.

Red Flag Conditions Through Saturday

The National Weather Service has red flag warnings of critical fire danger across much of the Southland through at least Saturday amid gusting Santa Ana winds. Southern California Edison cut power to more than 60,000 customers as a public-safety precaution amid the dangerous conditions.

Second Fire in Azusa

A second brush fire, the Peak Fire, erupted Thursday afternoon near San Gabriel Canyon Road in Azusa, burning 43 acres and threatening homes. Crews reached 41 percent containment by late afternoon, and evacuation orders there were downgraded to warnings. No injuries were reported in either fire, and the causes of both blazes remain under investigation.

Source: ABC7 Los Angeles