CALIFORNIA: A wildfire in the beach community of Malibu, California, raged unchecked on Wednesday after destroying several structures and forcing residents to flee and schools to close in the area. More than 1,500 firefighters were battling the Franklin Fire, which was 3,900 acres (1,578 hectares) and 0% contained, as it burned in the steep, rugged terrain northwest of Los Angeles. The fire, which started on Monday night, has destroyed at least seven structures and damaged eight others, the city of Malibu said in a statement online on Tuesday evening.
A red flag warning issued by the National Weather Service remained in effect on Wednesday as strong Santa Ana winds and low humidity were expected in the area. The winds were expected to die down, but arid conditions were to continue throughout the day, forecasters said. Evacuation orders and warnings remained in place on Wednesday for parts of the city of 10,000 people. — Reuters
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