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Monitoring Palisades Fire and Kenneth Fire – Update #4
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.
Update #10 – Malibu Campus / Franklin Fire Update
Fire activity around Pepperdine’s Malibu campus has greatly diminished as the Franklin Fire has burned through most of the fuel immediately surrounding campus, but some flames are still visible in small pockets of campus. Firefighters continue to respond to and put out lingering hot spots and protect structures. Early analysis indicates there has been little to no damage to structures around campus, and no injuries have been reported. The EOC continues to monitor conditions on campus and within the local Malibu area while firefighters put out lingering fires. The community will remain in the shelter-in-place protocol in the Payson Library and the Tyler Campus Center overnight, and an announcement will be made in the morning when it can be lifted.
With regard to the ongoing power outage, Southern California Edison (SCE) has indicated that they must inspect their circuits before restoring power. They also require confirmation from response agencies that roadways and conditions are safe to proceed with these inspections, which they anticipate will occur tomorrow morning.
Current road conditions are noted below:
- Malibu Canyon Road remains closed from Mulholland Drive to PCH;
- PCH is closed from Topanga Canyon Boulevard to Kanan Dume Road, with no current exit access turning right from John Tyler Drive.
COVID-19 Community Update – June 15, 2021
The state of California retired its Blueprint for a Safer Economy today as it fully reopens its economy, relaxing masking and physical distancing requirements, as well as most state industry-specific guidance. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed it will align with the state, retiring its own protocols, and is expected to release further industry-specific guidance for higher education as early as this week or next. Similarly, Cal/OSHA, which governs workplace rules in the state, is expected to approve its updated COVID-19 regulations later this week.
Each of these expected protocols affects the University. Pepperdine leadership is carefully and quickly evaluating this information as it is released and will make adjustments to campus policies and practices accordingly. The University will communicate any modifications to Pepperdine’s safety protocols—as well as impacts to and permissions for student activities and University operations—including how these changes will affect office guidance and workplace rules. Until that time, the current policies, including those governing masking and social distancing, remain in place for all faculty, staff, and students.
Red Flag Warning
The Los Angeles County Fire Department has reported a Red Flag Warning will be in effect in the Santa Monica Mountains beginning at 2:00am on Wednesday, April 30, and continuing through 8:00pm on Thursday, May 1.
Red Flag warnings identify time periods when conditions are ideal for wildfires: gusty winds, low relative humidity, and low fuel moisture levels. During Red Flag warnings it is especially important to:
- Report any signs of smoke immediately to emergency responders. If on the Malibu campus, call Public Safety at (310) 506-4441. At all other locations, report smoke by calling 911.
- Smoke only in approved locations. Use caution when disposing of cigarettes and ensure that they are completely extinguished.
- Minimize any use of open flame in outdoor settings.
Pepperdine Public Safety is monitoring the situation and is prepared to respond to potential wildfires. Additional information regarding Red Flag warnings and Pepperdine’s wildfire response plans is available on the University’s Emergency Information Page, http://emergency.pepperdine.edu, and in the Emergency Preparedness Guide found in WaveNet beginning on page 14.
Pepperdine Emergency Information 
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