California Beach City Evacuated as Fire Jumps Los Angeles Freeway

California officials ordered an evacuation of the city of Malibu, an enclave for the area’s rich and famous, and told drivers to avoid a major freeway as a wildfire spread north of Los Angeles.

The so-called Woolsey Fire has already destroyed several homes and threatens more in some of the wealthiest neighborhoods in the U.S. The 101 freeway, a major artery for commuters, was ordered closed in both directions at Liberty Canyon.

Authorities have created evacuation centers in Camarillo and Thousand Oaks, the site of a mass shooting earlier this week. Residents with large animals were being asked to take them to Zuma Beach. About 75,000 homes in Ventura and Los Angeles counties were under mandatory or voluntary evacuation orders, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The fire has consumed 8,000 acres and isn’t yet even partly contained, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Related:

• California Wildfire Grows to More than 20K Acres, More Blazes Erupt