Update, 8:23 p.m.: In a message published at 8:26 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, the City of Malibu reported all lanes of Pacific Coast Highway had reopened between Malibu Canyon Road and John Tyler Drive, following a closure due to firefighting efforts earlier in the evening.
Update, 6:04 p.m.: Forward progress has been stopped on the two spot fires burning in Malibu Bluffs Park, according to LACoFD Supervisor Bernard Peters. They were held to a half-acre and one-and-a-half acres, respectively. Firefighters were still mopping up.
Update: 5:47 p.m.: All lanes of Pacific Coast Highway were closed in both directions from Malibu Canyon Road to John Tyler Drive due to ongoing firefighting efforts, according to Lt. Evans, the watch commander at the Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station. There was no estimate for when lanes may reopen and no detour available in the area.
Pepperdine Professor and Pepperdine Graphic Media adviser Elizabeth Smith posted videos of fixed-wing aircraft dropping water on the flames.
Update, 5:35 p.m.: Fire officials reduced their size estimate for the twin blazes burning at Malibu Bluffs Park as of 5:35 p.m. Saturday.
“They just told us, there’s one spot that’s half acre and one spot that’s one acre,” Supervisor Melanie Flores said at the time, a slight reduction from the initial estimates of one acre and one-and-a-half acres.
Flores estimated at least 60 LACoFD personnel were battling the fire, assisted by at least four helicopters.
LA County Fire Department personnel were responding to two separate spot fires burning off Pacific Coast Highway near Pepperdine’s campus in the area of Malibu Bluffs Park on late Saturday afternoon, Oct. 10.
Initial calls reporting the fires came in at 4:51 p.m., according to LACoFD Supervisor Flores. As of 5:15 p.m. the spots were reported at approximately one acre and approximately 1.5 acres, with winds coming in from the west and a moderate rate of spread.
Helicopters were assisting with the firefighting efforts, Flores confirmed.
All lanes of Pacific Coast Highway in the area of John Tyler Drive were expected to be impacted for an unknown duration, the City of Malibu reported.
The fire was named the Wave Fire.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.
