A wildfire in the beach community of Malibu, California, raged unchecked on Wednesday after destroying several structures and forcing residents to flee and schools to close in the area. More than 1,500 firefighters were battling the Franklin Fire,

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of Southern California residents were under evacuation orders and warnings Tuesday as firefighters battled a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu that burned near celebrities’ seaside mansions, horse farms and Pepperdine University, where students watched as flames raced down hillsides and the sky turned deep red.