Malibu/Lost Hills Sheriff’s Capt. Jennifer Seetoo announced repopulation efforts are underway for evacuees from the Franklin Fire.
“Effective, immediately, some of the mandatory evacuation orders will be lifted in some of the areas. We will downgrade the voluntary evacuation orders allowing some citizens who evacuated back into their homes,” Seetoo announced at the news conference at Zuma Beach Thursday at noon. “Our primary goal is to open the area as quickly and as safely as possible for the community.”
The Capt. said there will be a soft closure on Westbound Pacific Coast Highway, west of Tuna Canyon and on Eastbound Pacific Coast Highway at Latigo Canyon Road. Only residents will be allowed in this affected area. Seetoo announced, “Please do not come in if you are not a resident.”
Seetoo also promised, “We will continue aggressively to provide security patrols to this entire community.”
A fire department spokesperson said, “We just want to assure everyone that LA County fire and our partners with Cal Fire and all of our unified command and supporting agencies that we will be there to help, get our people, get the residents and the communities back into their homes . We will be there to help to getting everyone back home safely.”
Containment and Damage Report
The Franklin Fire has burned 4,031 acres and is now 20% contained. Nine structures have been confirmed destroyed.
Current Conditions and Firefighting Efforts
Moderate fire behavior has been observed throughout the day. Firefighters are utilizing cooler temperatures and higher humidity to strengthen containment lines and further secure the fire’s perimeter.
Damage Assessments and Safety Precautions
The Damage Inspection Specialist (DINS) team is actively evaluating the impacted areas. The priority remains to repopulate evacuated areas as soon as it is deemed safe.
Residents are urged to exercise caution while driving in the affected zones, as fire personnel and equipment are still actively working.
Stay informed through official sources for the latest updates and safety information.