UCLA closes campus as devastating wildfires ravage Los Angeles

The University of California, Los Angeles has closed its campus for the rest of the week as wildfires continued to devastate the city’s fringes.

At least five people had been killed and more than 150,000 forced to evacuate their homes at the time of writing by a series of blazes burning uncontrollably.

In a message to the UCLA community, newly installed chancellor Julio Frenk said that campus operations would be “curtail[ed]” on 9 and 10 January, with undergraduate classes cancelled and postgraduate tuition moved online.

“While there remains no immediate fire danger to our campus, given an expected change in wind patterns in the hours ahead, it is likely that the air quality in Westwood will worsen,” Professor Frenk said.

Staff were asked to work remotely if they were able to for the rest of this week – the first week of UCLA’s term.

The University of Southern California said that its campus was “largely unimpacted and open; we are not the impacted area”.

In a message to staff and students, president Carol Folt and other senior leaders said that the university was expected to be “fully operational” for the start of term on 13 January and that new student orientation activities would continue as planned.

A new student convocation event planned for 10 January would not go ahead, however, “as we have many faculty, staff, and families of students who have been impacted by these tragic fires”, and would be rescheduled.

The USC update said that staff who were able to work “should do so from the safest place that gives you the greatest flexibility to respond to any personal/family needs”.

Five fires were continuing to burn in Los Angeles at the time of writing, with the largest – known as the Eaton and Palisade fires – uncontained. Collectively, nearly 27,000 acres of land were alight.

At least 1,000 structures have been destroyed, and more than 10,000 others remained at risk.

In his message to the UCLA community, Professor Frenk said that the first week of classes was “typically a joyous occasion, and I am deeply sorry that the fires in our region have instead brought so much pain and caused so much devastation”.

“Even as UCLA’s central focus is on protecting our students, faculty and staff, I am also grateful that our university is doing what it can to support the broader [Los Angeles] community in a time of need,” Professor Frenk added.

“In addition to making available vacant units in our faculty housing facilities and at UCLA South Bay for employees who have been impacted, we are treating patients around the clock at our UCLA Health hospitals and clinics, housing evacuees at the Luskin Conference Center and adjusting facilities operations to preserve water for first responders. UCLA organisations have opened up their doors to provide free meals and other support to the community as well.”

He added: “Together, we will navigate this challenging period.”

chris.havergal@timeshighereducation.com