“Weather conditions, including strong winds and low humidity, will be closely monitored today as they will play a critical role in fire behaviour,” he told reporters.
Marrone said a Red Flag Warning – an alert about strong winds issued by meteorologists – was expected to remain in place for much of the day.
“The entire fire area remains under threat as long as these red flag weather conditions persist,” he said.
Firefighters extinguish hotspots as the Franklin fire burns around Malibu, California. Photo / AFP
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said about 20,000 people had been ordered or advised to leave their homes, with the first evacuations beginning when his deputies went door-to-door in the moments after the blaze broke out.
Actor Dick Van Dyke, who is about to celebrate his 99th birthday, said on Facebook that he and his wife had fled their Malibu home.
“Arlene and I have safely evacuated with our animals except for \[a cat that\] escaped as we were leaving. We’re praying he’ll be OK and that our community ... will survive these terrible fires,” he wrote.
Malibu, which sits a short drive from Hollywood’s major studios, has been home to some of the biggest names in show business, with present and former residents including Lady Gaga, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Aniston and Cher.
Around 1500 firefighters were spread out tackling the fire, with aircraft dumping water and retardant along the firelines.
A large part of Malibu remained without power, complicating efforts to communicate with residents still in the area.
Wildfires are a feature of life in California, and are often exacerbated at this time of year by fierce so-called Santa Ana winds that blow dry desert air from the interior.
Scientists say climate change, fuelled by humanity’s unchecked burning of fossil fuels, is altering our weather patterns, making dry periods longer and increasing the likelihood of destructive fires.
At the same time, decades of land management policies that stressed a zero-tolerance approach to wildfire has left much of the countryside overstocked with fuel, so when fires erupt, they tend to be hotter, faster, and more dangerous.
_\- Agence France-Presse_