A Malibu homeowner who stayed behind to defend his home from the Franklin Fire said he’s lucky he was unharmed during the risky ordeal. Camilla Rambaldi reports for the NBC4 News at 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024.
A Malibu resident who defied the evacuation order and made the risky decision to stay behind in an effort to protect his home from the Franklin Fire said he’s grateful he was unharmed.
“I got really lucky; this time, it burned everything but my house,” said Tony Smoller.
Smoller is among the residents who live near Serra Road and Pacific Coast Highway – an area that’s been impacted by the wind-fanned blaze. Los Angeles County officials ordered residents in that general area to vacate their homes but some made the decision to stay behind to protect what’s theirs.
“If you choose to live out here, it comes with the territory,” Smoller said.
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Down the road from Smoller, residents of another neighborhood stayed home to defend their properties. Alec Gellis, who lives near Serra Road, said he’s seen flare-ups in his vicinity.
“This fire has been put out at this house a bunch of times,” he said. “But it still keeps lighting up, so the wind picks up and you got to be really careful.”
Fire officials strongly urge people under the evacuation order to leave, warning that staying behind puts lives at risk.
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“You need to evacuate,” Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said. “It says lives and it actually impacts the lives of our first responders.”
As of Wednesday evening, the Franklin Fire
