As the Franklin Fire continues to grow and ravage Malibu, celebrities and residents, including the 98-year-old actor and the singer have been forced to evacuate their homes.
- December 11, 2024
AceShowbiz - 98-year-old actor and comedian Dick Van Dyke announced on Facebook that he and his wife, Arlene, had safely evacuated their Malibu mansion along with most of their animals. However, their cat, Bobo, escaped during the evacuation.
Singer Cher, 78, also evacuated to a hotel on Monday night, according to her publicist. Meanwhile, as of Tuesday, December 10, Barbra Steisand's whereabouts were unknown.
The Franklin Fire erupted on Monday night, fueled by roaring Santa Ana winds and low humidity. As of Tuesday afternoon local time, it had burned up to 2,800 acres with zero percent containment. A red flag warning has been issued until Wednesday, with winds of up to 45 mph and gusts of 65 mph expected. This indicates an extremely high fire danger.
Over 6,000 people have been evacuated from Malibu, including residents in the Serra Retreat community where Van Dyke's home is located. Several structures have been burned, but no injuries or deaths have been reported.
Malibu schools have been closed indefinitely, and traffic signals are out due to power outages. Some highway traffic signals have also been affected.
Over 800 personnel are battling the blaze, and Governor Gavin Newsom has declared a state of emergency. The National Weather Service has urged residents to stay alert and evacuate immediately if ordered.
Malibu has been devastated by wildfires in the past, including the Woosley Fire in 2018, which destroyed the homes of Miley Cyrus and Liam Hemsworth.
