UCLA - University of California - Los Angeles

01/07/2025 | News release | Distributed by Public on 01/07/2025 18:12

Dealing with dangerous winds and extreme fire risk at UCLA

UCLA Newsroom
January 7, 2025
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Lisa Martin, director of UCLA's Office of Emergency Management, today sent the following message to UCLA faculty and staff.

The City of Los Angeles has issued an alert regarding a destructive, widespread and potentially life-threatening windstorm through Wednesday afternoon. Wind gusts are expected to be 50-80 mph and reach 80-100 mph in certain areas. Red flag fire weather conditions will likely continue until Friday. We are also aware of the fire in Pacific Palisades just southeast of Palisades Drive, with smoke visible from Westwood, about 10 miles from campus.

Our Office of Emergency Management and UCLA Fire are in communications with municipal partners and monitoring these events, and we also have operational teams on standby should anything require immediate attention on campus. There is no current risk to the Westwood campus and there are no plans to pivot to remote instruction, work or campus events at this time. Any modifications to classes will be determined by the Academic Senate and conveyed via BruinALERT to our campus community.

In the event of a power outage, traffic signals may convert to a flashing red light or lose power and go dark, and street lights could turn off. Drivers should treat flashing red signal lights or no working lights as an all-way stop and treat every entrance to an intersection as a stop sign. If you see a downed tree or power line on campus, please call Facilities Management 24/7 at 310-825-9236.

We are prepared to activate emergency plans if needed and provide essential information below:

UCLA sends emergency text message and email alerts via BruinALERT. Faculty and staff with valid email addresses in UCPath are automatically enrolled to receive BruinALERT notifications via email. Additionally, faculty and staff with a cell phone number in UCPath are also automatically opted-in to receive SMS text notifications through the BruinALERT system. Please take a moment to verify your data.

Updates will be shared as available on the Bruins Safe Online website. In the event of limited communications, the Bruins Safe Disaster Information Hotline may be activated: 1-800-900-UCLA (8252) or 310-825-1234. For more information about BruinALERT, please visit the Office of Emergency Management website.

How does UCLA assess danger from fire and related smoke?

We have fire alarms and smoke detectors in every building and work closely with the city and county fire departments to prepare for and respond to fires and wildfire smoke.

We also have multiple air-quality sensors in strategic spots around campus to provide accurate real-time assessments of air quality. Information is readily available on the UCLA AirQual website, including real-time air quality data from these sensors, as well as weather information.

Why is monitoring air quality important?

Regardless of where a fire is, air quality can be the key factor in determining whether we limit outdoor and recreational activities, cancel classes or take additional steps. The UCLA AirQual website lists the criteria that UCLA uses to make these decisions.

What's our fire plan and where would I go if my part of campus is in danger?

Emergency response plans range from shelter-in-place orders to the full evacuation of campus, depending on the situation.

If there is a campus evacuation, the fire marshal and Office of Emergency Management will provide guidance on a designated evacuation location via BruinALERT.

If I can see fire from where I work, can I assume we are evacuating?

No. While those working in the top floors of certain campus buildings may be able to see flames in nearby hillsides, this does not necessarily mean there is a threat to campus. Look for official UCLA information from our alert systems.

How does UCLA plan to evacuate campus, if necessary?

We work closely with city and county fire departments to decide whether circumstances call for the full or partial evacuation of campus or if it is safer for campus residents and others at UCLA to remain in place. In any emergency, we will communicate with you in real time via BruinALERT about campus plans that will be determined by conditions at that moment.

We strongly encourage staff, faculty, students and others on campus to familiarize themselves with building emergency exits, corresponding evacuation zones and, for those who drive to campus, UCLA's emergency traffic evacuation plan.

I want to help others when there's a fire. What can I do?

The most important thing you can do for others in a fire emergency is to remain calm, follow the guidance of emergency personnel and alert emergency responders if others are at risk.