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KNX 1070 NEWSRADIO -- The first fire trucks were sent home from Malibu on Sunday, as firefighters continued to make progress against the worst blaze to hit the famous coastal city in nearly 15 years.
About 50 homes were destroyed and more than two-dozen others damaged by the flames that roared down from the hills early Saturday. And although the financial losses are still being assessed, it's believed they could easily exceed 100-million-dollars.
The city of Malibu has posted a list on its website, of homes that were lost or damaged in the fire. Owners who still aren't sure what happened to their property can click HERE to access that list.
Firefighters who worked overnight from Saturday to Sunday were replaced in the morning. And those still toiling on hot spots, structure protection and fire lines expected to face reduced winds and get some help from slightly cooler, moister air.
But fire bosses warned that two years of drought had left coastal sage, sumac and sycamore shrubs so dry that they still stand an 80 percent chance of bursting into flame should an ember land on them.
Fire crews were concentrating on solidifying fire lines along a ridgetop between Corral Canyon and Puerco Canyon, northwest of Pepperdine University.
Very little smoke was visible on Sunday, and there were no major sightings of open flames. And fire officials said they expected to be able to declare the fire fully contained by Tuesday.
Southern California Edison crews also reported that they'd fully repaired several power lines that had burned and collapsed onto canyon access roads Saturday, and restored electricity to virtually all of the approximately 1,300 customers who had lost it during the fire.
But the local cable company said it could be some time before all of its customers in the area get their cable television, internet and telephone service restored. For the second time in a month, Charter Communication's main fiber line into Malibu was severed by a fire.
Verizon and other cellular phone services were also affected, but only where poles were burned. The Charter failure affects the entire Malibu coast, as well as Topanga Canyon, Agoura Hills and other areas in unincorporated Los Angeles County.
Evacuation orders were lifted Saturday night for most of Malibu, allowing most of the 20,000 or so coastal residents who had been told to leave to either return or stay put if they hadn't gone yet. But some areas north of Pacific Coast Highway still remain closed to residents, including Latigo, Corral, and Escondido canyons. |