A rapidly spreading wildfire erupted Thursday afternoon in the brush-covered mountains of Malibu, California, consuming nearly 150 acres amid bone-dry conditions and strong Santa Ana winds. The Bryson Fire began around 4:40 p.m. near Encinal Canyon, close to the Camp Kilpatrick juvenile detention center, and quickly expanded from an initial two acres to about 100 acres in under two hours. The speed of the fire prompted evacuation orders and warnings for local residents.
Firefighters mobilized air support and received help from local community brigades—volunteer groups trained to respond to wildland fires following the devastating 2018 Woolsey Fire. By early Friday morning, fire officials reported the Bryson Fire had burned approximately 147 acres and was 17 percent contained.
Further south, another significant wildfire, the Henderson Fire, ignited on the Camp Pendleton military base near San Diego. That blaze rapidly grew to more than 1,400 acres and briefly triggered the closure of Interstate 5, a key transportation corridor in the region.
The wildfire outbreaks occurred amid hot, dry weather exacerbated by powerful Santa Ana winds, which in some areas gusted up to 70 mph. The National Weather Service warned that these conditions would persist through Saturday, increasing the risk of fire spread. The agency described how strong high pressure over the Great Plains is driving dry air westward, creating a phenomenon where air descending the mountains heats up and dries out further, significantly lowering humidity in the foothills and coastal regions. This creates desiccated landscapes prone to ignition and fuels wind-driven fires.
In Malibu, wind gusts ranging from 39 to 47 mph on Thursday afternoon contributed to the rapid expansion of the Bryson Fire. Temperatures also remained above average, with highs reaching around 92 degrees—well above the typical mid-October highs near 75 degrees in the Los Angeles area.
As a precaution, all Malibu-area schools were closed Friday, following announcements from the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District. Southern California Edison cut power to parts of Malibu around 3:30 p.m. Thursday, roughly an hour before the fire began.
Malibu’s geographic location—nestled between the coast and the Santa Monica Mountains—makes it particularly vulnerable to wildfires and Santa Ana wind events. The community has been repeatedly affected by large fires, including the 2018 Woolsey Fire, which destroyed nearly 700 homes along the coast, and the 2025 Palisades Fire that burned over 700 homes on Malibu’s eastern flank.
Thursday evening, residents prepared for possible evacuation as smoke billowed across the sky, casting an orange glow over the area. Local gas stations saw increased activity as people filled vehicles and propane tanks, and many packed essential items including pet supplies and family mementos while monitoring official reports.
While some relief from the severe fire weather is anticipated by Saturday, authorities caution that existing wildfires could continue to grow under lingering dry and windy conditions. Fire weather warnings remain in place for parts of Southern California and the Sierra Nevada, emphasizing ongoing fire risks in the coming days.