SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Several brush fires were burning across Southern California on Thursday evening as hot, dry and windy weather sharpened wildfire danger and prompted utility shutoffs for tens of thousands of customers.
The most serious fire was in Malibu, where fast-moving flames pushed evacuation orders and warnings across a broad stretch of the Santa Monica Mountains. Smoke from the blaze was visible on hilltop cameras and from miles away, and the fire had grown to about 200 acres by nightfall.
Officials also evacuated a Los Angeles County juvenile detention and rehabilitative facility as crews worked to keep the fire from spreading further. At the same time, two other fires in Azusa and at Camp Pendleton triggered their own responses as winds intensified across the region.
Malibu blaze forces evacuations across the Santa Monica Mountains
The Malibu fire moved quickly enough to force evacuation orders and warnings for a large area of the Santa Monica Mountains west of Los Angeles. The heavy smoke plume made the fire easy to spot from nearby hills and from cameras placed far from the scene.
By Thursday night, the blaze had reached roughly 200 acres, according to fire officials. It also threatened a juvenile detention and rehabilitative facility in Los Angeles County, which had to be cleared as a precaution.
The National Weather Service said stronger wind gusts were expected overnight, a pattern that could help flames spread and make containment more difficult. The region remained under elevated fire danger as crews tried to stop the fire’s growth.
Azusa fire prompts evacuation orders before progress is stopped
North of Los Angeles, a separate brush fire broke out Thursday in Azusa and quickly led to evacuation orders for a neighborhood in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains. Those orders were later downgraded to warnings once the immediate danger eased.
Jonathan Torres, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles County Fire Department, said about 200 firefighters were assigned to the wind-driven blaze. He said the fire had burned more than 40 acres and that forward progress had been stopped by midafternoon.
The response reflected how quickly conditions could turn volatile in the region. Even when flames were brought under control, officials kept residents alert because the winds and heat remained in place.
Camp Pendleton fire spreads and briefly closes part of Interstate Five
Farther south, a fire at Camp Pendleton threatened buildings and led military officials to issue evacuation orders in the Las Flores area of the base. Those orders were lifted by evening, but crews continued working the scene.
Firefighters from Camp Pendleton and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Prevention battled the flames, which had expanded to more than 1.5 square miles. The fire sent thick smoke into the air and caused a temporary closure of part of Interstate 5, one of Southern California’s main north-south travel routes.
Officials also said the blaze disrupted power in the Las Pulgas area, where the fire started. The incident showed how quickly a brush fire can affect both military infrastructure and nearby transportation corridors.
Utility shutoffs spread across Northern and Southern California
Power outages added another layer of disruption as utilities tried to prevent new fires from starting on equipment during dangerous weather. In Northern California, Pacific Gas and Electric said nearly 62,000 customers in 26 counties had already lost electricity after proactive shutoffs began Wednesday night.
The affected areas included parts of the Sierra Nevada foothills, wine country and the central coast. PG&E said another 90,000 customers in 29 counties had been notified that they could lose power, with interruptions possibly lasting through Saturday afternoon.
Southern California Edison said about 65,000 customers in Los Angeles, Kern and Ventura counties lost power Thursday. The company said it was also considering public safety shutoffs that could affect 207,000 customers, including 105,000 in Ventura County.
Red flag warnings remain in place as Santa Ana winds intensify
The National Weather Service warned that the combination of low humidity, heat and gusty winds would keep fire danger elevated through the weekend. In Southern California, the strongest Santa Ana winds were expected from Thursday afternoon into Friday afternoon.
Forecasters said wind speeds could reach 20 to 40 mph, with gusts of 50 to 70 mph in the San Gabriel Mountains and the Santa Susana Mountains. Elevated critical fire weather was also forecast for parts of the Santa Lucia Mountains in San Luis Obispo County.
Rose Schoenfeld, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said the entire Southern California region should stay on alert because the fire weather was widespread. Red Flag Warnings were in effect for mountainous areas in Ventura and Los Angeles counties through Friday night, while similar warnings covered parts of central and Northern California through Friday morning.
Past deadly fires shape the response as crews brace for the weekend
The surge in fire danger comes as California utilities and emergency managers continue to rethink how they respond to wind-driven wildfire threats. In recent years, utilities have increasingly used preventive shutoffs when conditions are dry and windy, especially because power equipment has been linked to some of the state’s worst fires.
Southern California also remembers the deadly fires that tore through Los Angeles County in January 2025. The Palisades Fire killed 12 people and destroyed hillside homes, while a separate Altadena fire killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and businesses.
Schoenfeld said the current Santa Ana winds were not expected to be as severe as the gusts during those fires. Still, with dangerous weather projected to last through Saturday, fire crews and utilities remained on alert across much of the state.
