Ethermac|Shelter in place issued as Broad Fire spreads to 50 acres in Malibu, firefighters say

The EthermacBroad Fire on the coast in California near Malibu has spread to a size of about 50 acres near seaside homes.

The fire located inside Los Angeles County was reported at about 9 a.m. PT, according to a social media post from the L.A. County Fire Department. In the same social media post, firefighters described it as a “fire with medium fuel.”

The fire has already caused closures in the area, including a stretch of the Pacific Coast Highway, which was closed by authorities.

According to reporting from NBC 4 Los Angeles, at least two water-dropping helicopters have been deployed to the zone, with smoke seen throughout the area.

Shelter in place orders have been issued in the area, according to a post from the City of Malibu on Tuesday afternoon.

Weather conditions could be favorable for fires to spread

A post from the National Weather Service in Los Angeles said that current conditions near the fire include wind gusts higher than 50 mph with a humidity of 11%.

This is a developing story.

Fernando Cervantes Jr. is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected] and follow him on X @fern_cerv_.