[ALEC GELLIS]

“EVERY DIRECTION YOU LOOK IS COMPLETELY SURROUNDED BY FIRE. I THOUGHT I WAS GOING TO HAVE TO DRIVE THROUGH A RING OF FIRE JUST TO GET OUT OF HERE.”

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

A RAPIDLY SPREADING WILDFIRE IN MALIBU EXPLODED IN SIZE WEDNESDAY AS THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE FLED THEIR HOMES.

[RIVERS REDCLAY]

THE SMOKE WAS SO THICK YOU COULDN’T SEE, LIKE, SOMEONE WAS STANDING OVER THERE, YOU COULDN’T SEE THEM. IT WAS CRAZY. IT WAS INSANE. I MEAN, THEY HAD SO MANY FIRE TRUCKS IN HERE AND JUST SO MANY… I MEAN THE PEOPLE THAT YOU KNOW THIS LAND THEY REALLY FOUGHT FOR IT.

[LAUREN TAYLOR]

THE SO-CALLED FRANKLIN FIRE FUELED BY STRONG WINDS AND DRY CONDITIONS GREW FROM JUST AROUND 27-HUNDRED ACRES TO NEARLY FOUR-THOUSAND ACRES OVERNIGHT.

OFFICIALS REPORT AT LEAST 75-HUNDRED STRUCTURES, MOSTLY HOMES, ARE IN HARMS WAY AND NEARLY 13-THOUSAND PEOPLE ARE UNDER EVACUATION ORDERS.

THE FIRE BURNED CELEBRITY MANSIONS AND AT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY THOUSANDS OF STUDENTS WERE FORCED TO SHELTER IN PLACE ON CAMPUS.

CAL FIRE SAYS MORE THAN 15-HUNDRED FIREFIGHTERS ARE BATTLING THE FIRE BUT THE FIRE REMAINED ONLY SLIGHTLY CONTAINED AS CREWS NAVIGATE RUGGED TERRAIN.

THE FIRE ERUPTED MONDAY NIGHT AND QUICKLY SPREAD, FORCING OFFICIALS TO SHUTDOWN POWER TO ABOUT 40-THOUSAND CUSTOMERS IN THE REGION IN AN EFFORT TO PREVENT ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT FROM SPARKING MORE FLAMES.

SO FAR, NO INJURIES OR DEATHS HAVE BEEN REPORTED.

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FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS– I’M LAUREN TAYLOR.