3,700 return after Malibu fire, but 'a lot of work' ahead, fire official says

Cooler weather helped California firefighters make good progress on a wildfire that erupted in scenic Malibu, and more than 3,000 residents have been allowed to return home by Thursday, officials said.

Cooler weather helped California firefighters make good progress on a wildfire that erupted in scenic Malibu, and more than 3,000 residents have been allowed to return home by Thursday, officials said.

The Franklin Fire, which has burned more than 4,000 acres and destroyed some homes, was 30% contained Thursday night, fire officials said.

“We’ve had a lot of success on the incident over the last couple of days,” Dusty Martin, one of the fire incident commanders, said at a briefing Thursday.

Martin said that around 3,700 residents have been allowed to return, which he called "a big win."

The fire broke out near a tunnel in Malibu Canyon Monday and it was exposed to high winds that fueled very aggressive growth and spread, Los Angeles County Fire Assistant Chief Drew Smith, operations section chief for Franklin Fire, said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/weather/wildfires/malibu-fire-burns-4000-acres-rcna183931

---