Screencap/ABC7 video via AP MALIBU – Driven by fierce Santa Ana winds, the Franklin Fire in Malibu Canyon grew to more than 2,500 acres Tuesday on the hillsides near Pepperdine University, with about 2,000 structures under mandatory evacuation orders, but with only a “minimal” number of homes destroyed and no injuries reported. The blaze was reported shortly before 11 p.m. Monday in a Malibu Canyon area where a high volume of dry brush contributed to the rapid spread of the blaze. It erupted in the midst of a rare “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” issued by the National Weather Service in response to strong wind gusts and dramatically dry conditions. The cause of the fire was still under investigation. Subscribe to our daily newsletter By providing an email address. I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . At an 8 a.m. multi-agency briefing Tuesday, Los Angeles County Fire Department Chief Anthony Marrone said the fire was listed at more than 2,200 acres, with no reported containment. At about midday, Cal Fire put the size of the fire at 2,667 acres. More than 700 firefighters were battling the blaze, aided by a fleet of water- and retardant-dropping aircraft, including Super Scoopers and eight Cal Fire S2-T tankers, which are capable of dropping 1,200 gallons of retardant. Fire officials said the number of people battling the blaze could reach 1,000 by later in the day. The “particularly dangerous situation red flag warning” was scheduled to expire at 2 p.m. Tuesday for the Malibu coast, but standard red flag conditions were expected to continue until 2 p.m. Wednesday, according to the NWS. Fire crews were hoping to take advantage of lower wind speeds Tuesday afternoon, before an anticipated rebound in gusts in the evening hours. Peak wind gusts of nearly 50 mph were recorded in the Malibu area overnight, according to the NWS. Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said the sheriff’s department has deployed more than 150 personnel in law enforcement operations, including evacuations, road closures, and security patrols. Road closures include “hard closures” at Las Virgenes Road and Mulholland Highway, and on Pacific Coast Highway between Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Kanan Dume Road, Luna said. Shortly after midnight, multiple evacuation orders and warnings were issued between Trancas Canyon and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, and areas south of Mulholland Highway to Pacific Coast Highway, Luna said. According to Luna, there were about 18,000 people and 8,100 structures in the affected area. Of the 8,100 structures, about 2,000 structures were under evacuation orders, and the others were under evacuation warnings, Luna said. The mandatory evacuation order was issued by the Los Angeles County Fire Department covering the area south of Piuma Road, north of the Pacific Ocean coastline, east of Puerco Canyon Road/Corral Canyon Park and west of Los Flores Canyon Road; as well as the area between the Pacific Ocean coastline and Tuna Canyon Park to the west of Tuna Canyon Road. Evacuation warnings were in place for the area east of Trancas Canyon Road and Kanan Dune Road, west of Topanga Canyon Boulevard/Surfview Drive, south of Mulholland Highway and north of the Evacuation Order boundary. Damage to buildings was difficult to assess overnight due to darkness and heavy smoke. Flames reportedly reached the Serra Retreat area at 1 a.m. Tuesday — prompting participants in a women’s retreat at the facility to evacuate — and the fire jumped Malibu Canyon Road. Malibu City Hall is within the evacuation area and was cleared overnight. The city moved its Emergency Operations Center to a temporary location in Calabasas. Pepperdine University reported power outages and activated a shelter-in-place protocol for students and staff who were herded into a library and cafeteria area overnight. However, about 8 a.m., Pepperdine officials announced in a statement on social media that a post-daybreak reassessment of conditions had led to a lifting of the shelter in place protocol at the campus. “Campus conditions are safe for members of the community to return to student residences and on-campus homes. The community is strongly encouraged to remain on campus and stay off Malibu roads as first responders continue to respond to the Franklin fire, which continues to threaten Malibu. Additionally, ongoing fire suppression efforts on campus continue, and residents are encouraged to limit driving on campus to allow first responders to respond to spot fires which continue to flare up around campus. Power remains out for much of the campus and Malibu area. The red flag warning continues as gusty winds remain. If conditions worsen, we may have to reinstitute our shelter in place protocol,” the Pepperdine statement said. Pepperdine President Jim Gash announced to students that finals were canceled and normal operations were suspended on the campus Tuesday. “There are numerous LA County Fire Department engines on campus and their helicopters are using the lakes in Alumni Park to pick up water to drop on the fire from above,” Pepperdine University posted. Most of the campus was still without power as of midday Tuesday. The Franklin Fire was visible from the Malibu campus, according to social media posts from Pepperdine University and students. All Malibu schools within the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District were closed Tuesday, according to the district. The Los Angeles Fire Department deployed three strike teams (15 fire engines with three battalion chiefs) to assist Los Angeles County with the fire, said LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart. Other crews were dispatched from across the state. Resident Robert Moran told NBC4 he was ready to leave his home, where he has lived for 40 years, “in a moment’s notice” if order to do so. “We have a plan, and if you stick to your plan, you’ll be OK,” he said. Sheriff’s helicopters began water drops in certain areas around 4:30 a.m. Pacific Coast Highway was closed from Carbon Canyon to Corral Canyon. Other local road closures were put in place, in addition to a previously announced closure of Topanga Canyon Boulevard that was put in place due to the critical fire danger conditions. Malibu Canyon Road from Mullholland Highway to Pacific Coast Highway will be closed to the public and only emergency vehicles will be allowed access. An evacuation shelter was established at Palisades Recreation Center, 851 Alma Real Drive in Pacific Palisades. Animal shelters are set up at Agoura Animal Care Center in Agoura Hills and Pierce College in Woodland Hills for larger animals. Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors Chair Kathryn Barger signed a local declaration of emergency in response to the fire early Tuesday morning. Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that the state had already secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to assist with the firefight. “Fire officials and first responders are working relentlessly to protect lives and property from the Franklin Fire,” Newsom said in a statement. “California is grateful for this federal support, which bolsters these efforts. I urge all residents in affected areas to stay alert and follow evacuation orders.” (CNS) Want stories like this delivered straight to your inbox?Stay informed. Stay ahead. Subscribe to InqMORNINGfortune gems how to play 。

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Winnipeggers could learn the name of the city’s next police chief in about a week. Read this article for free: Already have an account? To continue reading, please subscribe: * Winnipeggers could learn the name of the city’s next police chief in about a week. Read unlimited articles for free today: Already have an account? Winnipeggers could learn the name of the city’s next police chief in about a week. On Friday, the chairman of the Winnipeg Police Board said two rounds of interviews for chief of the Winnipeg Police Service have wrapped up. “The decision has been made. (Now) it’s just the process that’s undertaken... to confirm the decision ... and then we can make our announcement within the next week or so,” said Coun. Markus Chambers. Winnipeg Police Service headquarters (Mikaela MacKenzie / Free Press files) The St. Norbert-Seine River councillor said some reference checks and final steps are still being completed but the hiring committee has selected a preferred candidate to recommend to city council for a ratification vote. “Hopefully, we’ll have a decision... or recommendation (to city) council next week,” said Chambers. If the process isn’t completed in time for council’s Dec. 12 meeting, the last scheduled one of the year, Chambers said he will ask for a special meeting prior to the holiday break. “We definitely want to have somebody in place with an announcement before the end of the year,” he said. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. The position has been open since Danny Smyth retired in early September. Art Stannard has been interim chief in recent months. Smyth officially announced his retirement date in December 2023. When asked why it took this long to find a replacement, Chambers said the hiring committee needed time to “hire the right person for these times.” Coun. Markus Chambers, chair of the Winnipeg police board (Nic Adam / Free Press files) “We recognize, in terms of the consultation process that we undertook, that people are looking for transformational change and looking for a leader that works (well both) internally and externally. So, we were quite diligent in terms of the questions that we asked during the interview process... We want to be clear and precise on the person that we’re hiring,” said Chambers. joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca X: @joyanne_pursaga Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the before joining the in early 2020. . Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the before joining the in early 2020. . Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the ‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about , and . Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider . Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support. Advertisement AdvertisementWhy top internet sleuths say they won't help find the UnitedHealthcare CEO killer

ATHLETICS Bendigo Region's rising stars were in great form across last weekend's Australian All Schools field and track championships at Mt Gravatt near Brisbane. or signup to continue reading An outstanding haul of two gold, four silver and a bronze was collected across the three-day meet which involved hundreds of students. Two Bendigo residential records were also broken on the track at the titles. Six schools in central and northern Victoria were represented in the Big V team. Gold was struck by Bendigo South East Secondary College's Jordyn Lewis in the under-14 pole vault final. The year 7 seven student who competes for South Bendigo in AV Shield League cleared a mark of 2.75m. It was a one-two result in the under-17 girls 2000m steeplechase as Girton Grammar's Abbey Reid charged to victory in 7:13.40. Silver went the way of Sarah Fitzpatrick from Sacred Heart College Kyneton in a season-best 7:17.98. Reid competes for Bendigo University, and Fitzpatrick with South Bendigo. Silver and bronze were won by Bendigo South East's Avery McDermid in the under-17 1500m and 800m. A great meet for the BSE Dragons' gun began with second placing in the 1500m in 3:52.53. The University Pride athlete then ran the 800m in 1:52.55 to claim bronze and also broke the Bendigo under-17 residential record. A great track season for BSE's Chelsea Tickell kept rolling as she adapted to the hot conditions and fast pace in the under-16 1500m final to be runner-up in 4:34.89. The South Bendigo athlete set a Bendigo under-16 residential record in a season-best time. Bloods' clubmate Kai Norton excelled in the under-16 hammer and javelin finals. The Weeroona College student marked a season-best of 54.58m to claim silver at javelin. Norton's best of 48.68m with the 4kg hammer earned fourth place. Sacred Heart Kyneton's Hailey Stubbs hurled the hammer to a mark of 46.96m to be fifth in the under-17 contest. A great competitor in various field disciplines, Stubbs represents Bendigo Harriers in Shield League. Girton Grammar's Kate Wilson achieved a season-best of 1.63m to be fifth in the under-16 high jump. Wilson is a member of the strong Eaglehawk Athletics Club. A season-best time of 8:14.76 by Marist College Bendigo's Charlise McQueen in the 2000m steeplechase earned fourth place in the under-15 category. McQueen will be a key player in Eaglehawk's quest to again be number one at next month's Victoria Country field and track championships at Lar Birpa in Bendigo. St Joseph's College Echuca's Scarlett Southern ran in the under-18 400m. A season-best of 58.12 earned third place in her heat. Now racing for Echuca Moama in AVSL, Southern ran the final in 58.53 to be fifth. Sacred Heart College's Tyler Fynch will be in Brisbane this Saturday to contest the 3000m for the under-15 boys class. Meanwhile, University's Michael Fanning "wiped out" the opposition as he won the 5000m leg in the latest round of the Parker Electrical-backed Tuesday Night Series for athletes at Lar Birpa in Flora Hill. A race of 12 1/2 laps drew eight starters in which Fanning powered away to take honours in a time of 16:58. Runner-up was Eaglehawk's Trevor Kelly, 19:47, as Bendigo Harriers' Thomas Hobson clocked 19:57 to be third. In the 3000m it was University's Mitch Fitzgerald who won a closely-fought first heat. Fitzgerald crossed the line in 10:58 as Daniel Ryan, racing on invitation basis, was next best in 11 minutes. Third placegetter was University's Lee McCullagh in 11:56. Fastest female and fourth overall was Vansessa Garry in 12:23 on another great night for University Pride. Heat two of the 3000m was led by invitation runners, David Stevens and Ryan Hon. Victory went to Stevens in 9:44 as Hon clocked 9:46. Third placegetter was University's Shaun White in 9:50. South Bendigo's Jake Hilson warmed up for this weekend's Zatopek 10 challenge by winning the first of the 1000m races in 2:33. Hilson will make his way to Lakeside Stadium this Saturday to team up with Bloods' clubmate Oliver Muggleton and Eaglehawk's Angus McKindlay and Fletch Watchman in the open 4 x 400m final. Runner-up in the first of Tuesday night's 1000m heats was University's Milanke Haasbroek in 3:28 as clubmate Lyla Edwards ran the 2 1/2 laps in 3:33 to be third. It was a Bendigo Little Athletics treble in heat two as Chloe Jackson led the way from Pippa Coleman and Airlie Intamanon. Another leg in the Tuesday Night Series will be run next week from 7pm at Lar Birpa in Flora Hill's Retreat Road. Meanwhile, round four in the Bendigo Athletics Club's distance series will be run on Thursday night at the Tom Flood Sports Centre in Barnard Street. Athletes will race 1000 metres as the BAC teams up with the Bendigo and District Cycling Club to continue the long-running tradition. 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