What happened
A wildfire known as the Bryson Fire has prompted evacuations in Malibu, the Southern California beach community, according to NBC News. The fire began just before 5 p.m. Thursday on Encinal Canyon Road, in rugged terrain in the Santa Monica Mountains.
Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said Friday that the fire had burned 146 acres. County Supervisor Lindsey P. Horvath, who represents the third district, said at a Friday morning press conference that crews working overnight had contained 17% of the blaze.
No deaths and no destroyed or damaged structures had been reported as of Friday morning. At least one firefighter suffered minor injuries Thursday night, was taken to a hospital and is expected to recover, Marrone said.
Evacuations and shelter
Evacuation orders have been issued for the Encinal, Trancas and Zuna Canyon areas. Under an order, residents must leave immediately because of an immediate threat to life and property.
As of early Friday afternoon, a dozen evacuation warnings were also in effect in areas around those canyons. A warning tells residents to be ready to leave at a moment's notice. The Red Cross has opened one emergency shelter at Agoura High School for evacuees who need somewhere to stay.
Weather raises the stakes
Officials said the weather will offer little relief. Strong Santa Ana winds, low humidity and dry vegetation are expected to make wildfires harder to contain across the region. "It is still red flag alert," Horvath said, adding that the conditions are expected to last at least until Saturday night. "Be vigilant and be prepared," she said.
The National Weather Service forecast winds of up to 35 mph, with gusts that could reach 70 mph. Such conditions could help start new fires or let existing ones spread rapidly. The risk was expected to be highest Friday for western Los Angeles County, Ventura County and southeastern Santa Barbara County.
Marrone said he estimates more than a hundred structures in the general area of the fire are threatened. "If the winds kick up later this afternoon, and we were to lose containment of the fire, a larger area could be affected and under threat," he said.
Firefighting resources and another blaze
More than 400 firefighters are assigned to the Bryson Fire, along with more than 75 "ground and aerial resources committed," according to Marrone. He urged residents to keep monitoring high-risk weather conditions as wildfires "continue to burn faster and push deeper into our built environment."
Hours before the Bryson Fire started, another wildfire broke out in Azusa, north of Los Angeles. The Peak Fire burned 43 acres Thursday and briefly led to evacuation orders for a neighborhood in the San Gabriel Mountains foothills. By Thursday night, firefighters had stopped its forward progress and contained 41% of it, NBC News reported.
