A wildfire that broke out late Monday night endangered the campus of Pepperdine University, a Christian school in Malibu, Calif. It was among more than 8,100 homes and structures under threat, The Associated Press reported.
Late Tuesday morning, the university reported that campus was safe, with minimal damage and no injuries. Power was restored by Wednesday, but some spot fires remained.
The Franklin Fire, as it’s being called, ignited in the Malibu canyon just before 11 p.m. and spread southward toward the university, which is associated with Churches of Christ.
Pepperdine had directed those on campus to shelter in place at designated locations around 3 a.m., as the Los Angeles County Fire Department ordered more than 2,000 families to evacuate.
About 3,000 students watched as flames moved past and lit the sky red, AP reported.
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The blaze at one point surrounded the Phillips Theme Tower, a 125-foot marker on campus featuring the shape of a cross.
The university lifted its shelter-in-place order just before 10 a.m. and canceled its Tuesday classes and exams. Later, Pepperdine announced all remaining in-person finals were canceled.
“We ask for your continued prayers in the coming days — prayers for the safety of those in the fire’s path, strength and endurance for our local first responders, and abiding peace for all those affected,” Pepperdine President Jim Gash said in a statement.
“As we emerge from this challenge, we will remain rooted in faith, leaning on one another, and serving our Malibu community together with God’s help.”
Gash thanked firefighters and other first responders, who were still working to get the Franklin Fire under control.
Another gust of Santa Ana winds strengthened the blaze heading into Tuesday night, which officials estimated had already burned more than 3.5 square miles, according to AP.
Pepperdine directed those on campus to shelter in place again until Wednesday morning. The fire “has moved away from campus” according to a late Wednesday update, though some roads to the Malibu campus remained closed Thursday.
This article originally appeared at The Christian Chronicle.
Calvin Cockrell is the media editor for The Christian Chronicle. He also serves as the young adults minister for the North Tuscaloosa Church of Christ in Alabama.
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“ Robert Brame is a forensic arborist with more than 38 years of experience… He points out that the trees have had the moisture sucked out of them, much like a microwave oven does to a piece of bread.
Brame has personally investigated more than one hundred alleged wildfires. He opines from his on-the-scene observations that 35 wildfires he investigated were caused by directed energy weapons, with the primary electromagnetic energy being in the microwave frequency. He offers that opinion due to the nature of the damage, where metals are destroyed, and wood and plastics are not burned unless they are in close proximity to a dense metal.
Directed energy weapons involve a range of focused energy technologies, including, but not limited to, lasers, microwaves, sound beams, and particle beams.”
https://truthcomestolight.com/expert-forensic-arborist-explains/