Strong winds contribute to the spread of a wildfire in Malibu

UPDATE (10:45 AM): Authorities in Los Angeles County held a press conference Tuesday morning to provide an update on the Franklin Fire.

The fire is currently burning 2,200 acres near Pepperdine University, prompting closures and evacuations.

Officials are thanking residents for following the evacuation orders and are reassuring evacuees that their homes will be safe from looters.

"I know that's a lot to ask for, but we have professionals on our department, and we're not going to allow that to happen. And just a message for anyone who's thinking about coming to this neighborhood to do something like that, you're going to get arrested, you're going to get caught, you're going to get arrested, you're going to get prosecuted. Don't do it."

Sheriff Robert Luna, Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department

Fire crew say the powerful Santa Ana winds have complicated efforts to get the fire under control, adding that climate change has made conditions surrounding wildfires more dire in recent years.

"We'd really like to button this fire up and get some containment by this afternoon, I believe that the winds are going to be continuing, so that's going to still create challenges for the fire department and for the LA County Sheriff's Department with evacuations, but rest assured, we are going to have a coordinated air and ground assault on this fire for as long as it takes."

Chief Anthony Marrone, Los Angeles County Fire Department

On Tuesday, California Governor Gavin Newsom's office announced on social media that the state has secured FEMA aid to support the firefighting efforts.

UPDATE (7:38 PM): As of Tuesday morning, the wildfire, known as the Franklin Fire, has burned 1,822 acres and is 0% contained.

Several homes and structures appear to be threatened at this time, but fire officials have provided an exact number.

The fire, which sparked Monday, triggered evacuation order, and prompted Pepperdine University to issue a shelter-in-place order for its students.

The university said Tuesday that power also remains out across much of the campus.

A couple of Malibu residents shared their reaction to seeing the fire.

"We could watch the glow get closer and closer, and then all of a sudden, the flames appeared over the top there, and you could see all these houses light up. It's mainly bush and all that between all the homes, it's, you know, unkempt. There's eucalyptus trees which have that, you know, fluid that ignites, you know, just a lot of dry brush. Only twice since I've lived here in this building for 43 years, have I ever seen it come down this ridge and ignite everything."

Wink Roberts, a Malibu resident

"I woke up and she was yelling that we need to get out of here and across the canyon the flames were just crazy. So we gathered our pets, got our essentials and living here for 19 years, you just, you have a plan," said Walter Tharp, another Malibu resident.

MALIBU, Calif. (NBC, KYMA/KECY) - Strong winds continue to contribute to the spread of a wildfire in Malibu, California.

The fire broke out on Monday night in Malibu Canyon, just before 11:00 p.m. It spread rapidly on hillsides a few miles from Pepperdine University.

The blaze was originally estimated at just 10 acres, but grew to more than 1,600 acres in less than three hours.

A high volume of brush in the area and strong Santa Ana winds led to the potential for the blaze to continue to spread rapidly.

According to fire officials, the evacuation order are encompasses about 6,000 people and more than 2,000 structures.