Parts of Southern California are still facing "elevated to brief "critical conditions" into Thursday night as a fast-moving wildfire that forced thousands in Malibu to evacuate continues to grow.Threat level: Red Flag warnings ended as powerful Santa Ana winds eased on Wednesday afternoon,

Mass evacuations have been ordered and Pepperdine University is under shelter-in-place orders as a wildfire exploded in Malibu overnight. In the late-night hours of December 9, firefighters were called to a small brush fire, but with Santa Ana winds whipping overnight, the blaze quickly grew into a raging inferno that's consumed over 2,200 acres.

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of Southern California residents were under evacuation orders Tuesday as firefighters battled a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu that burned near seaside mansions and Pepperdine University, where students sheltering at the school’s library watched as the blaze intensified and the sky turned deep red.