Monitoring Palisades Fire and Kenneth Fire – Update #4

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University officials continue to monitor the fires in the greater Los Angeles area. 

The Palisades Fire remains approximately 2.5 miles from campus and has burned 21,317 acres. Growth has slowed significantly over the last 24 hours, and officials have indicated that it is 8% contained. Fire activity continues in areas near Piuma Road and Topanga Canyon, which can generate smoke plumes that can be seen around the area.

Forward progress has been stopped on the Kenneth Fire. The fire is presently 960 acres and 35% contained. Fire suppression activities continue in the area, and all evacuation orders for this fire have been lifted. 

Partnership with SoCal Gas
In our continued effort to support the recovery of the Malibu and Palisades communities, Pepperdine is partnering with SoCal Gas to support their efforts to restore gas service to the area. Starting today, SoCal Gas will be utilizing the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot as their incident command center, providing them with a central hub to better serve the affected neighborhoods.

Student Support 
The University is supporting students who have been impacted by the fires. Students who have lost their off-campus housing and would like to arrange for on-campus housing for the spring semester may contact Housing. Those who have short-term housing or other needs due to fire-related losses may contact the Student Care Team for assistance, which will coordinate support from the University. We are grateful for the generous donors who help us meet needs like these through the Pepperdine Strong Fund.

The Student Health Center and Counseling Center remain open to care for students.  Additionally, medical and mental health support are available through the TimelyCare app. Pastoral care is available from the team at the Hub for Spiritual Life. Contact Tim Spivey, vice president of spiritual life, to make an appointment.   

Faculty and Staff Support
The University is also supporting faculty and staff who have been impacted by the fire. Faculty and staff should contact Human Resources, which will coordinate support from the University through resources such as the Pepperdine Strong Fund and other available resources.

Human Resources is also available to help employees, and faculty and staff may access counseling services through their Employee Assistance Program – details are available on the Human Resources website or by contacting Human Resources at 310.506.4397.

Pastoral care is available to faculty and staff. Please contact Dee Dee Mayer, interim university chaplain, to make an appointment.

Reminder of Campus Operations and Classes Next Week
As a reminder, the University will operate next week beginning on Monday, January 13, with undergraduate and the vast majority of graduate classes on the Malibu campus held online through Sunday, January 19. Students with classes scheduled on the Calabasas, West Los Angeles, or Irvine campuses should follow the guidance of their deans.

Faculty will deliver classes online from home or from their campus offices as fire and road conditions permit. Deans and supervisors have and will continue to provide additional guidance to faculty related to their ability to teach and hold office hours.

Staff are generally expected to return to normally scheduled work shifts and campus locations next week. Employees who live in the areas impacted by the fires, or have children whose schools are impacted, should work with their supervisors to adjust work schedules to attend to family or home needs.

Road Updates
Road closures remain fluid and as currently reported, below. Currently, the only way to access Pepperdine’s Malibu campus is by taking Kanan Road south to PCH and entering campus on John Tyler Drive.

  • PCH is closed southbound at Malibu Canyon Road and northbound at the McClure Tunnel
  • Malibu Canyon Road is closed between PCH and Piuma
  • Topanga Canyon is closed. 

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