Malibu’s Bryson Fire Forces Evacuations as Winds Threaten Southern California

A wildfire in the Santa Monica Mountains has forced evacuations in Malibu, and several other fires burning across Southern California have disrupted a major highway and a rail line, NBC News reported Friday. Officials say strong winds, low humidity and dry vegetation will keep conditions dangerous through the weekend.

Here are the answers to the main questions about the fires and the conditions behind them.

What is the Bryson Fire, and how big is it?

The Bryson Fire started just before 5 p.m. Thursday on Encinal Canyon Road, in rugged terrain in the Santa Monica Mountains. By Friday evening it had reached 146 acres and was 17% contained, according to NBC News.

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said more than 400 firefighters were working the fire along with more than 75 ground and aerial resources. He estimated that more than a hundred structures in the general area are threatened. As of Friday morning, no deaths and no structure losses or damage had been reported. At least one firefighter suffered minor injuries Thursday night, was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, Marrone said.

Who has been told to leave?

Evacuation orders cover the Encinal, Trancas and Zuna Canyon areas of Malibu. An order means residents must leave immediately because of an immediate threat to life and property.

Farther south, mandatory evacuation orders were issued for neighborhoods near Calle Delgado in San Juan Capistrano, where the Norte Fire is burning. The Orange County Fire Authority said Friday afternoon that the fire continued to grow and that four homes had been “impacted.”

What other fires are burning?

• Henderson Fire: The 2,080-acre fire, one day old, is burning at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego County.
• Norte Fire: The 465-acre fire is just north of the base in San Juan Capistrano. Federal forecasters said it was fueled by 96-degree temperatures and offshore winds as strong as 30 mph.
• Peak Fire: The fire in Azusa burned 43 acres Thursday and briefly led to evacuation orders for a foothill neighborhood. Firefighters stopped its forward progress Thursday night and had contained 41% of it.

How are the fires affecting travel?

Flames from the Henderson Fire reached the northbound shoulder of Interstate 5 on Friday, and the California Highway Patrol shut down the highway. NBC News described I-5 as the main route between Los Angeles and San Diego.

Amtrak’s Pacific Surfliner line between the two cities announced a track closure and warned customers of “significant delays and/or cancellations” on Friday.

Why are conditions so dangerous?

Los Angeles County officials said strong Santa Ana winds, low humidity and dry vegetation make the fires harder to contain. The National Weather Service expects winds of up to 35 mph, with gusts forecast to reach up to 70 mph. Such conditions could spark new fires or let existing ones spread quickly, the service said. The risk was highest Friday for western Los Angeles County, Ventura County and southeastern Santa Barbara County.

County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath said at a Friday morning news conference that the red flag alert was expected to last at least until Saturday night. Her message to residents: “Be vigilant and be prepared.”

What does this mean for residents and travelers?

People in the evacuation zones in Malibu and San Juan Capistrano are under orders to leave. Anyone planning to travel between Los Angeles and San Diego faced a closed stretch of Interstate 5 and disrupted Amtrak service on Friday. Officials said new fires could start and existing ones could grow quickly while the winds last, so conditions in other areas could also change.

Marrone urged residents to keep monitoring high-risk weather. He said wildfires are burning faster and pushing deeper into developed areas.

Source: NBC News