MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Officials in Southern California reported significant overnight growth of a wind-driven wildfire that has forced thousands of people, including celebrities like Cher and Dick Van Dyke, from their homes in Malibu, but forecasters said firefighters would get a break from improving weather conditions.
With much of the coastal city under evacuation orders and warnings, residents waited anxiously to see whether their properties had been spared by the fire, which erupted late Monday and grew to more than 6 square miles (16 square kilometers) by Wednesday morning. It was just 7% contained.
More than 1,500 firefighters were battling the blaze, with many climbing in steep canyons near lines of flames and others hosing down collapsed roofs of horse stables and charred homes.
“The deep and rugged terrain, along with the strong winds and low humidity, continue to pose challenges for firefighters,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, or Cal Fire, said in an incident update.