Fire danger diminishes in Southern California even as crews continue to battle Malibu blaze

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — As weather improved in Southern California, firefighters found some success Wednesday battling a wind-driven blaze burning in steep, nearly inaccessible areas that forced thousands, including celebrities, from their homes in Malibu, fire officials said.

With much of the coastal city under evacuation orders and warnings, residents waited anxiously to see whether their properties had been spared by the fire, which erupted late Monday and grew to more than 6 square miles (16 square kilometers). The blaze, dubbed the Franklin Fire, was just 7% contained.

About 20,000 residents remained under evacuation orders and warnings Wednesday evening, said Capt. Jennifer Seetoo of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department

Firefighters had “a lot of success” battling the blaze Wednesday thanks to the improving weather, but it continued to burn in an area of very steep terrain that is difficult to access, CalFire Assistant Chief Dusty Martin said.

The National Weather Service said the week's strongest Santa Ana winds, with gusts that reached 40 mph (64 kph), have passed. Forecasters said that all red flag warnings, which indicate conditions for high fire danger and Santa Ana winds, were discontinued.

Santa Anas are notorious seasonal winds that blow dry air from the interior toward the coast, pushing back moist ocean breezes.

Much of the devastation occurred in Malibu, a community of about 10,000 people on the western edge of Los Angeles known for its stunning bluffs and Zuma Beach, which features in many Hollywood films.

Flames burned near horse farms, celebrities’ seaside mansions, and Pepperdine University, where students were forced to shelter in place on campus for a second night Tuesday.

Faculty members are determining how best to complete the semester, which ends at Pepperdine this week. Final exams were postponed or canceled, depending on the class, university spokesperson Michael Friel said. An early analysis showed little to no damage to structures on campus, the university said.

It’s unclear how the blaze started. Officials said nine structures had been destroyed and at least six others had been damaged, though crews had only surveyed about 25% of the affected area, said Deputy Chief Albert Yanagisawa of the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Lonnie Vidaurri’s four-bedroom home in the Malibu Knolls neighborhood is one of those destroyed. After evacuating to a hotel in Santa Monica with his wife and two young daughters, a neighbor called to tell Vidaurri that firefighters would need to break into his house.

“It’s pretty torched all around,” said Vidaurri, 53. He expects that the family’s pet bunnies did not survive the fire, and that they lost most of their things. “My girls cried, obviously, but it could have been worse.”

Mimi Teller, a Red Cross spokesperson who worked in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, said many people arrived in their pajamas and were “definitely in shock.”

“Nobody even had a backpack, it was, ‘Get out now,’” Teller said. “One lady didn’t even have a leash for her dog, she just scooped them up.”

Shawn Smith said he was asleep early Tuesday when someone knocked on his RV at 3 a.m. to wake him up to evacuate the Malibu RV Park.

“You could see the fires rolling in, in over the canyon. It was like ‘Holy crap, this is real,'” he said.

He returned Wednesday to find that the RV park had been saved — firefighters stopped the flames just before they entered the area.

“We got lucky,” he said.

Van Dyke, one of many celebrities with homes in Malibu, said in a Facebook post that he and his wife, Arlene Silver, evacuated as the fire swept in. Although the couple and most of their animals evacuated safely, one of their cats, Bobo, escaped as they were leaving. “We’re praying he’ll be OK and that our community in Serra Retreat will survive these terrible fires," he wrote.

Cher evacuated from her Malibu home when ordered and is staying at a hotel, her publicist, Liz Rosenberg, said Tuesday.

The fire erupted shortly before 11 p.m. Monday and swiftly moved south, jumping over the famous Pacific Coast Highway and extending all the way to the ocean.

Alec Gellis, 31, stayed behind Monday night to save his home in Malibu’s Serra Retreat neighborhood from the flames. He used pumps in the home’s swimming pool to help spray water over the house and surrounding vegetation, turning the lush area “into a rainforest.”

Gellis said there were flames within 5 feet (1.5 meters) of the home on all sides. “The whole canyon was completely lit up.”

Utilities preemptively shut off power to tens of thousands of homes and businesses, starting Monday night, to mitigate the impacts of the Santa Ana winds, whose strong gusts can damage electrical equipment and spark wildfires.

As of Wednesday afternoon, electricity was still out for roughly 600 Southern California Edison customers, and the majority of those were in Los Angeles County, said utility spokesperson Gabriela Ornelas.

“We have been making significant progress,” she said.

But outages in Malibu were not included in that figure, Ornelas said. Some 3,300 customers in the Malibu area remained without power, due to safety shutoffs and for firefighter safety. Power was first shut off to most customers in Malibu on Monday evening.

The Woolsey Fire that roared through the area in 2018, killing three people and destroying 1,600 homes, was sparked by Edison equipment. Asked Wednesday if Edison equipment was involved in the Franklin Fire, Ornelas referred all questions regarding the cause to fire officials.

This story has been corrected to show that Shawn Smith lives in an RV, not a mobile home.

Weber reported from Los Angeles and Aoun reported from San Diego. Associated Press journalists Stefanie Dazio in Los Angeles; Amy Taxin in Orange County, California; Sarah Brumfield in Washington; and Eric Thayer, Damian Dovarganes and Jaimie Ding in Malibu, California, contributed to this report.

Resident sift through their fire-damage property after the Franklin Fire swept through Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A mountain top overlooking the Pacific Ocean is scarred after the Franklin Fire swept through Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Retardant is dropped onto the Franklin Fire Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

A road signed is burned after the Franklin Fire swept through Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

A road signed is burned after the Franklin Fire swept through Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Water is dropped onto the Franklin Fire by helicopter, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

A resident sifts through their fire-damage property after the Franklin Fire swept through, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Burned outdoor furniture is left behind on a property after the Franklin Fire swept through, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Firefighters work at a home devastated by the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A resident sifts through their fire-damage property after the Franklin Fire swept through, Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A firefighter works at a home devastated by the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A firefighter carries a water hose while tackling the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Two firefighters watch the Franklin Fire as it approaches a building in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A firefighter watches the Franklin Fire as smoke fills the air in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Two firefighters are engulfed in smoke from the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Two firefighters put out flames while battling the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Vegetation around the Phillips Theme Tower at Pepperdine University is scorched by the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Screen writer and actress Sarah Newcome expresses her gratitude to God during sunset as a plume of smoke from the Franklin Fire rises over the ocean Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

Malibu residents Florence Johnson and her son Brian enjoy the beach before sunset as a plume of smoke from the Franklin Fire rises over the ocean Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A vehicle burns during the Franklin Fire on the campus of Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Fire trucks are parked along Pacific Coast Highway as smoke from the Franklin Fire fills the air in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Embers fly as the Franklin Fire burns in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Firefighters protect a structure as the Franklin Fire approaches in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

The sun sets under a plume of smoke from the Franklin Fire rising over the ocean Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A firefighter hoses down hot spots around a fire-ravaged property after the Franklin Fire swept through Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

Students sleep on couches on the Pepperdine University campus, where a makeshift shelter was set up as the Franklin Fire closed in Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Damian Dovarganes)

A firefighter sprays water on a home as it burns in the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Water is dropped by helicopter onto the Franklin Fire, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Firefighters battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Firefighting helicopters fill their water tanks from a pond on the campus of Pepperdine University while battling the Franklin Fire on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (Hans Gutknecht/The Orange County Register via AP)

Firefighters are pushed back by gusty winds while removing fuel around the faculty and staff residences at Pepperdine University as the Franklin Fire approaches in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

A woman evacuates a horse as the Franklin Fire burns in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

The Franklin Fire sends a plume of smoke into the sky Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, in Malibu, Calif. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Embers fly in gusty winds as two Los Angeles County firefighters battle the Franklin Fire at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Flames erupt on a mountain as the Franklin Fire burns in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

Firefighters battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Firefighters battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

Students evacuate from Pepperdine University as the Franklin Fire burns in Malibu, Calif., on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope)

A car drives past flames from the Franklin Fire at Pepperdine University in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Eric Thayer)

Firefighters battle the Franklin Fire in Malibu, Calif., Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)

SAO PAULO (AP) — A year ago, Brazilian Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro touted his family’s connection with U.S. President Donald Trump as a major political asset. This week, Bolsonaro is in Washington leaning into that relationship again in an attempt to shore up his weakening presidential bid after he received millions of dollars from a disgraced banker.

Bolsonaro arrived on Tuesday without a public agenda. Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, his rival in October’s elections, had a three-hour meeting with Trump on May 7. The 80-year-old leader seeks a fourth, nonconsecutive term.

The Trump administration has not commented publicly on the Bolsonaro scandal.

The son of former President Jair Bolsonaro has been under fire since May 13, when messages leaked by The Intercept from a federal police investigation showed he received about $12 million from Daniel Vorcaro, former owner of the shuttered Banco Master.

Vorcaro is accused of defrauding bank customers out of hundreds of millions of dollars after he convinced them to make shady investments. Brazil’s federal police estimate the bank’s total fraud at 12 billion reais ($2.3 billion).

Flávio Bolsonaro has denied any wrongdoing and asserts that Vorcaro’s money was used to produce a movie about his father’s life. The investigation continues.

Political opponents have been on the attack since the revelation.

“Anyone getting close to a criminal banker gives a bad sign," former Minas Gerais Gov. Romeu Zema, a Jair Bolsonaro supporter who is running for the presidency, said on Monday.

Bolsonaro’s campaign has been shaken as he searches for a running mate and tries to form party alliances. The latter is key for him to get more resources and free air time on TV and radio, which is determined by the number of seats that each party holds in the lower house.

Even before Bolsonaro’s connection to Vorcaro was public, he lacked support from many in the business community.

Former Goias Gov. Ronaldo Caiado and Renan Santos, also presidential hopefuls, have raised doubts about Bolsonaro, and some politicians argue that former first lady Michelle Bolsonaro should replace him as presidential candidate.

“Michelle would bring many voters back. She has a good name for herself,” former environment minister and lawmaker Ricardo Salles said in a recent podcast. “She is much softer and that could work.”

Michelle Bolsonaro lives with the former president in Brasilia, where he is under house arrest for his coup attempt conviction. She has remained silent about the link between the senator and the failed banker and about making a presidential run.

“That is none of my business. I have to take care of my husband,” she said last week.

Sen. Marcos Rogerio, one of Flávio Bolsonaro’s key allies in congress, said the presidential hopeful has been giving the necessary explanations for what happened between him and Vorcaro.

“Moments like this deserve our attention. He needs to make it all clear. But he has also argued in favor of a congressional inquiry on Banco Master. This thing will not bar his candidacy at all,” Rogério told journalists on Saturday. “We are not going to re-evaluate his bid or choose a different person. The senator’s candidacy is still standing.”

Political analyst Lula Guimaraes, who has worked for candidates across the political spectrum in Brazilian elections, said the revelations would have been deadly for Bolsonaro if they had come out shortly before the vote.

The police investigations could further hurt his chances, but voters might leave the issue aside when it matters, Guimaraes added.

“As of now, people in Brazil want to know who will win the next World Cup. They want to know whether Neymar will play or not. That alone will make this whole affair less visible for a month,” Guimaraes said. “I don’t think this alone will be deadly for Flávio Bolsonaro, but even the man himself said there’s more about him and Vorcaro to come out. He’d better buckle up.”

Follow AP’s coverage of Latin America and the Caribbean at https://apnews.com/hub/latin-america

Sen. Flavio Bolsonaro, son of former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, talks on the phone as he arrives for the swearing-in ceremony for justices Nunes Marques and Andre Mendonca as president and vice president of Brazil's Superior Electoral Court in Brasilia, Brazil, Tuesday, May 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Eraldo Peres)