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Bryson Fire Rages Through Malibu, Evacuations Ordered

Stateline MEDIA Newsroom•October 16, 2026•3 min read

The Bryson Fire erupted in western Malibu, California, Thursday (10/15/2026) afternoon and ballooned to 101 acres in 1.5 hours amid Santa Ana winds. Evacuations were ordered and tens of thousands of customers lost power preventatively.

Key Facts

The Bryson Fire broke out Thursday (10/15/2026) around 4:40 p.m. local time near the intersection of Mulholland Highway and Encinal Canyon Road in western Malibu, California, close to Camp Kilpatrick.
The blaze grew from under one acre to 20 acres in 30 minutes, then ballooned to 80–101 acres in roughly 1.5 hours; containment stood at 0%.
Los Angeles County issued an evacuation order for zone KAN-U017 and evacuation warnings for zones LEO-U015, MAL-C113, MAL-C114, and SYC-U016.
The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the helicopter coordinator estimated the fire could reach 200 acres within the next hour.
Southern California Edison cut preventative power to more than 23,000 customers in Los Angeles County and 16,000 more across Los Angeles and Kern; over 100,000 customers were monitored for further shutoffs.
No injuries or deaths had been reported; the cause remains under investigation.
The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning through Saturday night, with damaging wind gusts up to 75 mph in mountain areas.
The Peak Fire in Azusa also erupted the same day, burning 43 acres at 31% containment; its evacuation order was downgraded to a warning.

Flames Expand in Minutes

A wind-driven brush fire dubbed the Bryson Fire erupted in western Malibu, California, on Thursday (10/15/2026) afternoon local time. The blaze was first reported around 4:40 p.m. near the intersection of Mulholland Highway and Encinal Canyon Road, not far from the Camp Kilpatrick youth detention facility, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department.

Fierce Santa Ana winds sent the fire spreading at an alarming pace. It grew from under one acre to 20 acres in just 30 minutes, then surged to between 80 and 101 acres in under an hour and a half, according to FOX LA and the Ventura County Star. Containment stood at 0%.

Winds of around 26 mph combined with relative humidity of just 13% — a combination firefighters say can turn a small flare-up into a fast-moving wildfire before crews can get ahead of it.

Evacuations and Mass Power Shutoffs

Los Angeles County authorities issued an evacuation order for zone KAN-U017 and evacuation warnings for zones LEO-U015, MAL-C113, MAL-C114, and SYC-U016, stretching from the Los Angeles County line to Leo Carrillo State Park. Residents were urged to monitor official alerts and prepare to leave.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department said the helicopter coordinator estimated the fire could reach about 200 acres within the next hour. "Fire conditions can change rapidly," authorities wrote in a Thursday night update.

The impact extended far beyond the burn zone. Southern California Edison enacted preventative Public Safety Power Shutoffs for more than 23,000 customers in Los Angeles County and 16,000 more across Los Angeles and Kern, a measure designed to keep power lines from sparking new blazes. More than 100,000 additional customers were under consideration for further shutoffs. No injuries or deaths had been reported, and the cause remained under investigation.

Multiple Fires Under Red Flag Warning

The Bryson Fire was not the only blaze that day. The Peak Fire in Azusa broke out around 1:15 p.m. near San Gabriel Canyon Road, burning 43 acres at 31% containment. Officers went door to door evacuating residents in the Mountain Cove community before the evacuation order was downgraded to a warning that afternoon.

The National Weather Service issued a Red Flag Warning for much of Southern California through Saturday (10/18) night, warning of damaging gusts up to 75 mph in mountain areas and humidity dropping into the single digits — an extreme combination for rapid fire growth.

Western Malibu, where the fire burned, is sparsely populated but dotted with private estates on hillsides and in canyons, making ground access difficult. Authorities dispatched additional air resources and requested road closures so crews could work safely.