When the Franklin Fire broke out in Malibu this week, students at Pepperdine University were told to stay put — even as those in neighboring communities fled for their lives. Two hours after the wildfire started,

No structures were damaged and no one was injured, but students spent a frantic night sheltering in place as thousands of nearby residents evacuated.

Wildfires are threatening Southern California again, this time near Malibu. One college in the Santa Monica Mountains lay directly in the path of the Franklin Fire, but extensive safety plans have saved buildings from burning down and students from getting hurt.

A wildfire in Malibu, California, has exploded to more than 2,000 acres, prompting evacuations. Pepperdine University students sheltered in place for six hours.

A fast-moving brush fire in Malibu, fueled by Santa Ana winds, exploded to 2,800 acres along the southern California coast Tuesday as most of the city has been ordered to evacuate.

At about 2 a.m., students huddled in Pepperdine University’s library and watched through the window as wind-whipped flames blazed over a nearby hill. The Malibu sky glowed red. Smoke filtered into the building.