Latest Event Updates
Palisades Fire – FAQs
- With all of the recent fires, is Pepperdine’s campus safe from future fires?
- The Malibu campus is a safe place. The university constructs our buildings and installs landscaping with fire considerations in mind. We also are celebrated by first responders for our extensive brush clearance and fire preparation. The University also employs wildland fire certified personnel on our public safety team.
Additionally, because the Franklin fire burned much of the brush surrounding the Malibu campus, the campus has a buffer resulting in much less possible fuel surrounding the campus.
If a wildfire were to impact the Malibu Campus, the University has significant and tested plans in place to address such a situation. The EOC may activate its shelter in place protocol, in which the University community will be directed to stay on campus and move to the Tyler Campus Center (TCC) and/or Payson Library. This shelter in place plan is approved by the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
- The Malibu campus is a safe place. The university constructs our buildings and installs landscaping with fire considerations in mind. We also are celebrated by first responders for our extensive brush clearance and fire preparation. The University also employs wildland fire certified personnel on our public safety team.
- With the recent fires, is air quality on campus unhealthy?
- No, air quality on campus is not unhealthy. The University regularly monitors various sources of information related to air quality including:
- The South Coast Air Quality Management District who are officially charged with reporting on air quality in our area.
- IQAir and Purple Air use similar sensors supported by local users to provide air quality data.
- Its own air quality testing conducted by the Department of Environmental Health and Safety.
- Additionally, the Palisades Fire did not burn near the Malibu campus, and the smoke column from the fire was blown out into the Pacific.
- No, air quality on campus is not unhealthy. The University regularly monitors various sources of information related to air quality including:
- What are the current road conditions leading to the Malibu Campus?
- Individuals looking for information on the roads leading to Pepperdine’s Malibu Campus are encouraged to call the ROAD-Hotline – 310.506.ROAD (7623) which is updated frequently.
- Current road closures include:
- PCH south of the Malibu campus is closed between the Malibu Pier and the McClure Tunnel.
- Malibu Canyon, Kanan Dume Road, and PCH north of the campus are all currently open.
- Given the recent fires, is there a greater potential for rock or mud slides following rainstorms?
- Subject-matter experts recently surveyed burned areas on and around campus following the Franklin fire, concluding that in typical storms expected in the area, the Malibu campus falls in the a low-risk category for damaging or dangerous rock or mudslides during the rainy season. The University will continue working closely with its partners to ensure safety and advise the University community of any changes.
- Subject-matter experts recently surveyed burned areas on and around campus following the Franklin fire, concluding that in typical storms expected in the area, the Malibu campus falls in the a low-risk category for damaging or dangerous rock or mudslides during the rainy season. The University will continue working closely with its partners to ensure safety and advise the University community of any changes.
- I have been personally impacted by the fires, where can I go for help from Pepperdine?
- The university wants to stand alongside any of our community members who have been impacted by the fires, and will provide personalized service to each person in need. Students, faculty, and staff can visit Pepperdine’s WIldfire Community Support page to learn more about how Pepperdine can assist them.
- The university wants to stand alongside any of our community members who have been impacted by the fires, and will provide personalized service to each person in need. Students, faculty, and staff can visit Pepperdine’s WIldfire Community Support page to learn more about how Pepperdine can assist them.
- Where can I go for information related to local fires?
- The Watch Duty app has the latest information on local fires.
- Los Angeles County officials use the Genasys system to note which zones are under evacuation warnings and orders during emergencies.
- Where can I learn more about Pepperdine’s emergency plans?
- The university has detailed and comprehensive emergency plans covering a wide variety of potential scenarios, including wildfires. Pepperdine’s Emergency Information Page serves as a repository for the University’s emergency preparedness information for various disasters, which are regularly updated, as well as the latest emergency-related messaging to the University community.
- The university has detailed and comprehensive emergency plans covering a wide variety of potential scenarios, including wildfires. Pepperdine’s Emergency Information Page serves as a repository for the University’s emergency preparedness information for various disasters, which are regularly updated, as well as the latest emergency-related messaging to the University community.
- I want to volunteer, donate, or offer assistance. How do I do that through Pepperdine?
- Individuals can visit Pepperdine’s WIldfire Community Support page to learn more about how Pepperdine is assisting the community recover through donations, volunteer activities, legal assistance, and more.
- Individuals can also make donations through the Pepperdine Strong Fund.
- I have questions which are not answered here:
- If your questions are related to academics, please contact your Dean’s office:
- Questions related to student support should be submitted to the Student Care Team.
- All other questions may be submitted to emergencyservices@pepperdine.edu.
Red Flag Warning
As the University noted was possible in Friday’s message, the National Weather Service has issued a Red Flag Warning, running from 8 AM on Monday through 10 PM on Tuesday due to winds of 25-35 miles per hour (MPH) with gusts up to 55 MPH and low humidity. Within this timeframe, weather officials predict a stronger wind period between Noon Monday and 10 AM Tuesday. The NWS has also extended the Fire Weather Watch through Thursday evening.
As a reminder, Red Flag Warnings are issued several times per year in Southern California to denote windier days, with less humidity present, when the NWS encourages preparations to reduce fire risk. As is typically the case during Red Flag Warnings, University officials prepare the campus appropriately and expect normal campus operations, including classes, to continue as scheduled. Additional information regarding Red Flag Warnings is available on the University’s Emergency Information Page.
Road Conditions Updates
Malibu Canyon remains open, though members of the Pepperdine community coming to campus from west of Kanan Dume Road are encouraged to consider continuing to use Kanan to PCH, to the John Tyler Drive gate when possible, as refueling for fire trucks and other first responders continues to occur on Malibu Canyon between PCH and Seaver Drive (main entrance to Pepperdine off of Malibu Canyon). While this refueling is occuring, those commuting to campus through Malibu Canyon will have direct access to the main entrance to Pepperdine by turning right onto Seaver Drive. Malibu Canyon Road lanes have been reduced from Seaver Drive to PCH due to the refueling operation. Because of this lane reduction, commuters may experience a slow down of southbound Malibu Canyon traffic, especially near the entrance to Pepperdine.
PCH south of campus remains closed between the McClure Tunnel where it connects with the 10 freeway and the area near the Malibu Pier.
Malibu Canyon Reopens Confirming In-Person Classes Resume on Tuesday
Officials have reopened Malibu Canyon Road to all traffic. This welcome news confirms the University’s plan to resume in-person classes on Pepperdine’s Malibu campus Tuesday, January 21.
Today, only the John Tyler Drive gate is open for entrance to campus. The Seaver Drive gate will reopen Saturday, January 18. The community is encouraged to continue to use Kanan Dume Road, to PCH, to the John Tyler Drive gate when possible, as refueling for fire trucks and other first responders continues to occur on Malibu Canyon between Seaver Drive and PCH. This refueling operation may slow down southbound Malibu Canyon traffic.
As always, please drive carefully and remain informed about conditions for Pepperdine’s Southern California campuses by utilizing the following resources:
- Information about current road conditions is also available on the Road Condition Hotline at (310) 506-ROAD (7623).
- Greater Los Angeles road conditions can be viewed online at sigalert.com.
Parking On Campus Upon Return This Weekend
The Mountain Parking Structure will open this month. Upon returning to campus, and until the parking structure opens, students, faculty, and staff should continue to park in the parking lots authorized by their current parking permit. The University will message the community with further details about the Structure and accompanying changes to parking protocols before it opens. Remember, SoCalGas is temporarily using much of the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot to stage operations to restore natural gas to the greater Malibu community.
Pepperdine Launches New Website to Support Wildfire Recovery Efforts
Pepperdine launched a new website, www.pepperdine.edu/wildfire, detailing opportunities for giving, volunteering, ways community members can seek further support, and organizations working in the greater Los Angeles area to provide relief to those most impacted by the recent wildfires.
Fire Weather Watch Next Week
The National Weather Service has issued a Fire Weather Watch advisory for Monday at 10 AM through 10 PM on Tuesday due to northeast winds of 20-30 MPH with gusts up to 50 MPH and low relative humidity. This fire weather watch may be upgraded to a Red Flag Warning over the weekend. These wind predictions are significantly less intense than those from other recent Red Flag Warnings.
Red Flag Warnings are issued several times per year in Southern California to denote windier days, with less humidity present, when the National Weather Service encourages diligent preparations to reduce fire risk. Note: wildfires do not occur during every Red Flag Warning. As is typically the case during Red Flag Warnings, University officials prepare the campus appropriately and expect normal campus operations, including classes, to continue as scheduled.
Additional information regarding Red Flag Warnings is available on the University’s Emergency Information Page.
President’s Briefing Recap #2 – Palisades Fire – January 2025
The President’s Briefing Recap summarizes important information for the Pepperdine community shared during each President’s Briefing. In the second special broadcast for faculty, staff, and students, president Jim Gash (JD ’93) was joined by members of Pepperdine’s Emergency Operations Committee to share their insights on campus operations and community safety in light of the Palisades Fire and other fires in the area.
Return to Campus and Malibu Canyon Reopening Plan
Pepperdine’s Malibu campus plans to resume in-person classes on Tuesday, January 21, for those classes scheduled to be in person this term. Malibu Canyon Road is expected to open in the coming days. Accordingly, students are expected to return to campus or to their off-campus housing locations in advance of Tuesday. In the unlikely event that Malibu Canyon does not open on Tuesday, classes will continue to be held online for that day. President Gash reinforced that these decisions were made with the highest consideration of the health and safety of students, faculty, and staff.
Caruso School of Law Final Exams
Regardless of the status of Malibu Canyon Road, Caruso School of Law final exams scheduled for Tuesday, January 21, will proceed as scheduled. Students should watch for communications from their deans for the most up-to-date guidance.
Current Fire Conditions and Containment
The Palisades Fire does not have active flames, and smoke is no longer visible. While there may be isolated small smoldering patches, fire personnel are focused on the mop-up phase, which requires extinguishing such patches. Fire personnel have created a perimeter around the burn area using bulldozers to separate unburned vegetation from the charred landscape. Throughout the duration of the Palisades fire, none of Pepperdine’s campuses were in an evacuation warning or mandatory evacuation zone and the Malibu campus remains unaffected by the direct impact of the fire.
Air Quality
Air quality at the Malibu campus, as well as at all Pepperdine campuses, continues to score in the healthy range, and AQI scores continue to be “safe” consistent with typical conditions in Malibu. Because Pepperdine was not adjacent to a large number of structure fires in the Palisades, and because the Palisades Fire plume extended over the ocean, Pepperdine’s air quality was not directly impacted.
After the Franklin Fire in December 2024, Pepperdine changed all air filters on campus, and all major air handlers have been vacuumed and wiped clean. The University has also been conducting its own particulate testing to verify AQI scores. Students with respiratory concerns are encouraged to reach out to the Student Care Team with specific needs, and employees should contact Human Resources. N95 masks will be available upon request to anyone on campus.
Gas and Utility Restoration and Boil Water Notices
Pepperdine is hosting SoCalGas in the Firestone Fieldhouse parking lot, which they are using as their incident command center to assist with restoring gas services to Malibu residents. Due to the University’s partnership, service restoration is proceeding ahead of schedule. As of the briefing, SoCalGas had restored gas service to more than 2,000 people in the area, ahead of schedule in part because of their advantageous location on our campus.
Pepperdine’s Malibu campus is not and has never been under a boil water notice, and water remains safe for use.
Mudslide Mitigation
The University is actively working with local experts to mitigate potential mudslides following periods of heavy rain, including surveying the entirety of campus. The University has employed mitigation measures, including cleaning out debris basins and spraying soil glue to keep loose soil from rolling down the hills. The University has also taken extra precautions by employing sandbags and soil reinforcement to ensure the hillside stays intact.
Travel to Campus from LAX
The University is providing some shuttle service from LAX to campus and is currently reviewing responses to the shuttle interest form. Students will be contacted to confirm shuttle availability or to be reminded of alternative transportation options. Students may choose to use other rideshare options such as Uber and Lyft, which are available to the Malibu campus. To help reduce costs, students are encouraged to share their rides when possible.
As a reminder, for residential students returning from the fall semester, access to residence halls has been restored. New residential students should reach out to Housing and Residence Life with any questions. Also, students facing financial challenges should contact the Student Care Team for assistance.
Pepperdine Emergency Information 
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