9 a.m.: The Wendy Fire was 50 percent contained as of 8:30 a.m. Friday, according to Ventura County Fire. There was no increase of size overnight.
8:20 a.m. Friday: Malibu residents awoke to smoke on Friday morning as several fires burned in Los Angeles and Ventura counties during red flag warnings overnight from Thursday, Oct. 10 into Friday, Oct. 11, but no fires were threatening any part of Malibu’s 21 miles—or any areas of unincorporated Malibu.
All Malibu schools were open Friday.
The closest fire burning in the Santa Monica Mountains was the Wendy Fire, which was holding at 91 acres with 25 percent containment as of late Thursday night. That number had not officially been updated as of 8:20 a.m. Friday. The Wendy Fire began in Newbury Park and burned toward Pacific Coast Highway in the Point Mugu area but did not burn any structures or cause any injuries.
The major fire generating smoke in the region was the Saddleridge Fire, which began in the area of Sylmar in the San Fernando Valley and jumped both the 210 and 5 Freeways overnight, moving into Porter Ranch above the 118.
As of 8:10 a.m. Friday, that fire had burned at least 4,700 acres and destroyed 25 structures. There was zero percent containment on the Saddleridge Fire at the time, with 1,000 firefighters and eight helicopters battling the blaze. Fixed wing air tankers were reportedly inbound, according to LA County Fire. That fire caused the closure of schools in the San Fernando Valley including Pierce College.
That fire also caused numerous freeway closures.
