Malibu resident Alec Gellis says he woke up late Monday night to flames spreading in his neighborhood the Franklin Fire erupted over Malibu. He describes how he used his own resources to prevent the fire from burning his house and neighboring houses.
“I was laying in bed, I heard screaming, I heard honking, and then I went outside and the sky was red,” Gellis said. “And I turn the corner and the whole mountain is on fire.”
According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, the massive fire was first reported Monday just after 10:45 p.m. near South Malibu Canyon Road and Station Boundary, just south of the Piuma area. The Serra Retreat, Pepperdine University and Malibu City Hall were among some of the buildings at risk of being destroyed as the fire raged overnight.
What started as a 5-hectare forest fire quickly grew Santa Ana wind and low humidity fueled the fire. As of Tuesday afternoon, the Franklin Fire remains fully contained and has spread to just over 2,700 acres.
Gellis shared a cellphone video he shot from his home on Mariposa De Oro Street, where loud crackles can be heard in the background as bright red hues illuminate the skyline. He said that to his knowledge, three houses were set on fire in the Serra Retreat neighborhood.
Using his own hose, water pump and water from his pool, he and a friend saved not only his home, but two other homes in the area. Gellis also said they rescued a 100-year-old turtle.
“The fire completely surrounded us,” Gellis said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said Tuesday that about 18,000 people and 8,100 buildings are in the affected area. Of the 8,100 buildings, 2,043 are under evacuation orders and 6,046 are under evacuation warnings.
