Mop-up work continues on Malibu fire

Investigators have concluded that the Malibu fire started in the vicinity of a cave in Corral Canyon known for being a late-night party hangout.

Firefighters continued mop-up work today on the fire, which began early Saturday. Authorities said they still didn’t know whether it was intentionally set, but they were convinced that people who were at the cave at the time know what happened.

“We believe there are witnesses who have yet to come forward [and who] can provide crucial information to assist us in this investigation,” L.A. County Sheriff’s Department spokesman Steve Whitmore said Monday.

Neighbors in Corral Canyon said they were used to parties at the cave on weekend nights, with cars driving up the road into the early morning.

About 2:30 a.m. Saturday, two residents on Corral Canyon Road said they heard a car horn sounding repeatedly as the car drove past their enclave.

“I thought it could be drunk people,” said Scott Palamar, a multimedia producer. But when he saw the flames on the ridge a couple of hours later, he changed his mind. “My theory is that it was the person who started the fire … trying to wake people up.”

Across the street, Brooke Halpin had also heard the honking but did not connect it to the fire until a neighbor called at 3:25 a.m. to tell him about the fire.

The arson investigators’ conclusion is likely to heighten a debate in Malibu over a proposal to allow more overnight camping in mountain recreation areas.

The fire, which destroyed 53 homes, 35 outbuildings, 37 vehicles and a mobile home and damaged 45 structures, was fully contained Monday night, Inspector Ron Haralson of the county Fire Department said today.

“We’ll still be in and around that area making sure there are no smoldering hot spots that might burn embers out of that area,” he said.

Palamar said he had urged officials to put a gate near the entrance to the cave area to prevent bonfires and parties, but he said the idea was rejected.

In the wake of the blazes, Malibu officials have vowed to impose a requirement for a ranger or other trained individual to monitor the camping areas around the clock. The city is also considering a ban on campfires.

On Dec. 5, the Malibu City Council is expected to vote on a proposal by the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy that would encourage more use of the mountains by hikers and campers. It would provide for overnight camping at Corral Canyon and Charmlee Wilderness Park, near the Ventura County line.

But residents say allowing overnight camping in the arid hills and canyons would be irresponsible now that fire season runs year-round in Malibu.

At the fire’s peak Saturday, about 2,000 firefighters were battling the blaze, but as red flag wind warnings ended, so did the wind-driven fire. By Sunday, hundreds of firefighters were allowed to return home. On Monday, 1,100 firefighters worked on containment.

Eight firefighters were hurt; seven had minor injuries and one had moderate first- and second-degree burns to the cheek, Haralson said.

The shelter at Channel Islands High School in Oxnard is no longer open, but Agoura High School’s shelter is still available, Garrido said. Residents were allowed back into their homes as of 8 p.m. Sunday.

Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call the Sheriff’s Department’s Lost Hills Station at (310) 456-6652.

andrew.blankstein@latimes.com

evelyn.larrubia@latimes.com

Times staff writer Tami Abdollah contributed to this report.