Malibu Fire Has Crews Racing Dryness, Fierce Santa Ana Winds

The Bryson Fire is burning in Los Angeles County near Malibu. By 10:39 a.m. Friday, it had covered 147 acres, or about 59 hectares. Only 17% of its perimeter was contained. That means firefighters had established control around less than one-fifth of the fire’s edge.

The threat is much larger than the burned acreage suggests. County officials said more than 7,200 structures were in danger. More than 400 personnel were fighting the blaze, and one firefighter had been taken to a hospital with minor injuries. Officials were mounting a large response before stronger winds arrived.

The immediate concern was the forecast. Gusts near the fire could reach 60 mph Friday afternoon, while higher elevations could see winds near 80 mph. Officials called the morning and afternoon the most critical period of the red flag event. Strong winds and dry conditions can make new fire starts spread rapidly.

Santa Ana winds are strong, dry winds that commonly affect Southern California. They are a major wildfire factor because they dry vegetation and push flames and embers across the landscape. Their force can also carry burning material ahead of a fire, helping it spread quickly and unpredictably.

The Bryson Fire shows the danger clearly. The National Weather Service forecast gusts near the fire of up to 60 mph Friday afternoon. In higher elevations through the San Gabriel Mountains, winds could reach about 80 mph. County officials warned that strong winds and very dry conditions could cause fire starts to spread rapidly.

The timing made the winds especially important. Officials described Friday morning through Friday afternoon as the most critical period of the red flag event. A multi-day Santa Ana windstorm was expected to worsen conditions. It also raised concern about new fires, which helped explain why utilities shut off power in some areas.

Burned acreage measures the land already affected, not the number of buildings nearby. A fire can remain relatively small while threatening a heavily developed area. Homes and other structures may be spread across the fire’s surroundings, especially where communities meet open vegetation.

The Bryson Fire had burned only 147 acres by Friday morning. Yet Los Angeles County officials said more than 7,200 structures were threatened. Strong winds made that mismatch more alarming because they could push flames or burning embers beyond the current fire edge. The fire was also only 17% contained.

The threat could grow quickly if weather conditions worsened. Gusts near the fire were forecast to reach 60 mph, with winds near 80 mph at higher elevations. Officials were sending a large response before those winds increased. The figures show why acreage alone cannot describe a wildfire’s danger to people and property.

Very dry vegetation can ignite easily and burn rapidly. Strong winds then supply moving air and push flames across the ground. They can also carry embers ahead of the main fire, creating new fire starts. Together, dryness and wind can make a fire expand faster than crews can build control lines.

The Bryson Fire faced that combination Friday. Forecast gusts near its footprint could reach 60 mph, while higher elevations through the San Gabriel Mountains could see winds near 80 mph. Los Angeles County emergency officials warned that strong winds and very dry conditions would continue to make fire starts spread rapidly.

The result is a narrow window for firefighters. More than 400 personnel were deployed, but only 17% of the fire’s perimeter was contained. Officials called the period from Friday morning through the afternoon the most critical part of the red flag event. Stronger winds could increase both the fire’s speed and its reach.

Recent rain can reduce how readily vegetation burns, which may limit a wildfire’s spread. Existing burn scars can also change the landscape around a new fire. However, past fires leave communities vulnerable and show how quickly Santa Ana winds can worsen conditions. The danger around Malibu therefore reflects both current weather and recent history.

The Bryson Fire sits within 10 miles of major burn scars from recent years. The Franklin Fire destroyed 20 structures around Malibu before Christmas 2024. In early January 2025, the Eaton and Palisades fires killed 31 people and caused billions of dollars in regional damage. Santa Ana winds fueled those fires too.

Weather service forecaster Rich Thompson said current conditions were nowhere near as severe as before the 2025 fires because some areas had received rain. Before those fires, Southern California had gone months without rain. Even so, officials described the current situation as very concerning, with dangerous winds approaching.

California utilities are using power shutoffs as a fire-prevention measure during dangerous weather. Electrical equipment can become a possible ignition source when strong winds affect lines or other infrastructure. Turning off circuits removes that potential source, although it temporarily leaves customers without electricity.

PG&E and Edison International’s Southern California utility had shut down circuits serving tens of thousands of customers during the week. Edison reported that about 132,000 customers had lost power by 12:25 p.m. local time. The action came as Southern California faced strong Santa Ana winds and very dry conditions.

The shutoffs were intended to avoid starting new fires while crews focused on existing ones. Edison said restoration work might begin as soon as Saturday. The timing depended on the dangerous weather and the utility’s ability to inspect conditions. The measure shows that wildfire response includes preventing additional ignitions, not only fighting flames already burning.

A wildfire spreads when heat reaches nearby burnable material. Flames can move through connected vegetation, while wind can carry embers ahead of the main fire. Dry conditions make fuel easier to ignite, and stronger winds can increase the fire’s speed and direction changes. Firefighters work to stop this movement by creating barriers and controlling sections of the edge.

Containment refers to the portion of a fire’s perimeter where crews have stopped or restricted the fire’s spread. It does not necessarily mean the entire fire is extinguished. At the Bryson Fire, only 17% of the perimeter was contained Friday morning. That left most of the boundary needing continued work and monitoring.

More than 400 personnel were deployed as winds threatened to reach 60 mph near the fire and 80 mph at higher elevations. The limited containment made the forecast especially urgent. Officials wanted to strengthen control before the multi-day Santa Ana windstorm caused conditions to deteriorate further.