Aided by favorable winds and weather, firefighters on Wednesday progressed in containing a wildfire in the beach community of Malibu, California, where 6,300 people evacuated their homes as schools and businesses shut their doors.

Improving weather conditions in Southern California on Wednesday raised officials’ hopes that firefighters could rein in the Franklin Fire, which forced evacuation orders or warnings for 20,000 residents in the Malibu area,

MALIBU, Calif. (AP) — Thousands of Southern California residents were under evacuation orders and warnings Tuesday as firefighters battled a wind-driven wildfire in Malibu that burned near celebrities’ seaside mansions, horse farms and Pepperdine University, where students watched as flames raced down hillsides and the sky turned deep red.