Millions of Californians have been warned to keep their windows closed and avoid going outdoors as the Franklin Fire burns across Los Angeles County.
With 9 million residents, the county is the most populated in the United States, and those living along its beaches, on its inland coast and in several of its cities are under an air quality alert stemming from the particle pollution levels caused by fires.
On Monday, the Franklin Fire began in Malibu and spread rapidly through the city. It now spans 3,983 acres and was at 7 percent containment as of Wednesday, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) reported.
In its air quality alert, the National Weather Service warned Los Angeles County residents: “If you smell smoke or see ash due to a wildfire, remain indoors with windows and doors closed or seek alternative shelter, if feasible.
“Avoid vigorous physical activity and run your air conditioner and/or an air purifier. If possible, do not use whole house fans or swamp coolers that bring in outside air.”
The air quality alert covers these cities and areas in Los Angeles County: downtown Los Angeles, Malibu, Pacific Palisades, Los Angeles International Airport, Long Beach, Redondo Beach, Santa Monica, Torrance, Beverly Hills, Compton, Culver City, Downey, Hollywood, Norwalk, Malibu Bowl, Topanga, Westlake Village, Malibu Lake, Northridge, Woodland Hills, Van Nuys, Chatsworth, Moorpark, Newbury Park, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks and Oat Mountain.
Residents in these areas are at risk because “exposure to particle pollution can cause serious health problems, aggravate lung disease, cause asthma attacks and acute bronchitis, and increase risk of respiratory infections,” the NWS alert said.
On Wednesday, Los Angeles County was also under threat from two other fires: the Bryson Fire and the Madera Fire. Those fires have stopped progressing, according to the California Wildfire Tracking account on X, formerly Twitter.
The cause of the Franklin Fire is under investigation. According to an incident update on Cal Fire’s website, the blaze has destroyed nine structures and damaged six more. The update said 1,974 firefighters were working to put out the fire—with 223 fire engines, 12 water tenders, 12 dozers and 37 hand crews involved in fighting the flames.
Malibu residents were placed under an evacuation order, prompting celebrities such as Cher and Dick Van Dyke to leave their homes.
Pepperdine University has lifted its shelter-in-place warning after the fire slowed down around its Malibu campus. However, in a post on X, the university said on Wednesday that the roads to the campus remained closed.
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