UCLA campus operations are running on an emergency status.

UCLA is not under an evacuation warning at this time; on Friday, January 10, an evacuation warning was issued for the zone adjacent to UCLA, due to the Palisades fire.

Undergraduate and graduate classes have moved to remote instruction through Friday, January 17.

UCLA Town Halls

As we continue to confront the impacts of the fires, we invite you to join a series of virtual UCLA Town Halls to learn more about our fire planning, hear from campus leaders and get answers to your questions. Register for the Town Hall today at this link:

Monday, Jan. 13 at 1 p.m. – Town Hall for Faculty and Staff

• Hosted by Administrative Vice Chancellor Michael J. Beck
• Will include representatives from Academic Personnel, Academic Senate, Campus Human Resources, Research & Creative Activities, UCLA Health

Understanding the difference between an evacuation warning vs. an evacuation order

Don't panic, be prepared: the Bruin community is spread out across many areas of Los Angeles, and our community's safety and wellness is our top priority. If the area where you live comes under a higher risk from the wildfires, here are the differences between an evacuation warning and an evacuation order.

UCLA’s campus is not currently under an evacuation warning. If UCLA enters an evacuation warning zone or receives an evacuation order, updates and more information will be shared immediately via BruinALERT with our community.

An evacuation warning is issued when there is a potential threat to your life or property. This alert gives you time to prepare to leave if conditions worsen. 

What to do if there is an evacuation warning:

• Start gathering important items and documents to add to your Go-Bag and Pet Preparedness Kit (if applicable). 

• Maintain communication with emergency contacts using a fully charged power bank or portable charger. 

• Make plans for a possible evacuation, including helping neighbors who may need assistance.

• Individuals who need extra time to evacuate, or anyone with large animals, should pack up and leave when a warning is issued.

If your area is upgraded from an evacuation warning to an evacuation order, that means there is an immediate threat, and you need to evacuate. An evacuation order is mandatory, and delaying your departure could result in harm.

What to do if there is an evacuation order:

• Follow all instructions from first responders, who will assist you. 

• Grab your Go-Bag and Pet Preparedness Kit. 

• Evacuate immediately, use recommended routes.

If a mandatory evacuation order for campus is issued during this specific fire emergency:

STUDENTS: Students should report to the nearest rally point to their location. There will be two rally points: Pauley Pavilion concourse for those living on the Hill, and the Tipuana Apartments for those students living in Weyburn and University Apartments North. From those rally points, students will receive transportation to an off-campus location, as well as additional information.

EMPLOYEES: Managers and supervisors will communicate directly with employees who are currently working on campus regarding evacuation plans. Note: This excludes UCLA Health. Specific instructions will be sent to UCLA Health employees.

RESEARCHERS AND LABORATORIES: Each principal investigator (PI) or group leader of a laboratory research program (experimental, computational or otherwise) has been asked to prepare and implement a strategy to ramp down campus laboratory research activities. Read more in this message to employees.

Once again, UCLA itself is not currently under an evacuation warning.

Please stay safe and vigilant.

UCLA campus operations are running on an emergency status.

UCLA is not under an evacuation warning at this time. 

Undergraduate and graduate classes have moved to remote instruction through Friday, January 17.

Federal Resources for Wildfire Survivors

The state has launched a new website for wildfire survivors. Those within our UCLA community who live in the affected areas and are facing loss and displacement can visit CA.gov/LAfires for information about federal assistance.

On that site, anyone affected by the wildfires can learn how to file an insurance claim, and how to apply for FEMA assistance. Individual assistance from FEMA includes multiple federal programs to help disaster survivors start to recover. Programs include:

• Serious Needs Assistance for lifesaving and life-sustaining items, including prescriptions, infant formula, breastfeeding supplies, diapers, consumable medical supplies, durable medical equipment, personal hygiene items, and fuel for transportation.
• Advanced Financial Assistance
• Housing
• Rental Assistance
• Funds for Repair / Replacement of Damaged Homes
• Disaster Legal Services
• Disaster Unemployment Assistance
• Other Needs Assistance

Registering for FEMA is an essential first step.

There are three different ways to register:

1. Online at DisasterAssistance.gov. Applying online is the easiest, fastest, and most convenient way to apply.

2. On the FEMA App for mobile devices

3. Call the FEMA helpline at 1-800-621-3362: Available daily from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m. (PST).

UCLA Housing Resources

UCLA is also providing housing for employees who have lost their homes to the fires. Please reach out to uclahousing@housing.ucla.edu to learn more. Read more about resources in this message to employees.

Employees should continue to work remotely throughout the week of Jan. 13, if you are able to do so, with supervisor approval. Campus administration asks that supervisors continue to be flexible and understanding in their arrangements.

In response to the recent fires affecting our community, vendors such as Spectrum and Starlink are providing free WiFi to impacted households. While these services are essential for staying connected during emergencies, they can also introduce potential security risks. Please see these essential tips to help you stay safe while using public or emergency WiFi networks.

Please stay safe and vigilant.

This is NOT an evacuation alert. An evacuation warning has been issued to a zone adjacent to UCLA due to the Palisades fire. We are asking Bruins on campus to remain vigilant and be ready to evacuate, should the alert be extended to our campus. 
We will provide additional information about evacuation instructions, if needed, via BruinALERT.

As Chancellor Frenk shared in his message to the campus community, out of an abundance of caution, UCLA operations will be modified throughout the weekend and on Monday, Jan. 13. The Academic Senate has approved remote instruction for undergraduate and graduate students on Monday as well.  Our PreK-12 programs — Geffen Academy, UCLA Lab School and our Early Care and Education Programs — will be closed on Monday. UCLA Extension will continue remote instruction.

Employees should continue to work remotely on Monday, if you are able to do so, with supervisor approval. Supervisors should continue to be flexible and understanding in their arrangements. 

UCLA Health hospitals continue to remain open and operational so we can treat patients during this critical period.

UCLA’s PreK-12 programs — Geffen Academy, UCLA Lab School and our Early Care and Education Programs — will be closed on Monday. 

UCLA Extension will continue remote instruction.

Continue to watch for BruinALERT updates via SMS and email regarding classes and operations. Updates will also be shared on Bruins Safe Online. 

Please stay safe and vigilant.

As Chancellor Frenk shared in his message to the campus community, UCLA will curtail campus operations, cancel undergraduate classes and move graduate courses to remote instruction for the next two days, Thursday, Jan. 9 and Friday, Jan. 10. Our PreK-12 programs — Geffen Academy, UCLA Lab School and our Early Care and Education Programs — will be closed on both Thursday and Friday. UCLA Extension will move to remote instruction on these days.

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. 

For employees, if you are able to work remotely, please coordinate with your supervisors to do so. Supervisors should work directly with their employees to meet any critical staffing and operational needs on campus, while being understanding and flexible.

Our UCLA Health facilities will remain open and fully operational. For those who work in the UCLA Health clinical areas (including medical, dental and nursing clinics), you will receive further communications from UCLA Health. 

Continue to watch for BruinALERT updates via SMS and email regarding classes and operations. Updates will also be shared on Bruins Safe Online. 

Please stay safe and vigilant.

UCLA is open for classes and regular operations today, Wednesday, Jan. 8. The fires in the Los Angeles region do not pose an immediate danger to the campus, and at present, air quality levels in Westwood remain within normal levels. Geffen Academy, UCLA Lab School and our Early Care and Education Programs are open; UCLA Extension also remains open.

We are continuing to closely monitor the impact of fires in the region and are actively coordinating with the Los Angeles Fire Department and other municipal partners. We also have operational teams on standby should anything require immediate attention on campus. 

What you should know:

Threat to campus: There is no immediate threat posed by the fires.

Air quality: Based on available data, air quality at UCLA is currently considered good. Air quality levels may fluctuate throughout the day and we will update you of any significant changes to campus operations via the BruinALERT system.

If air quality conditions worsen: Individuals in sensitive groups, including older adults, children, pregnant women and those with pre-existing heart or lung disease, should reduce outside activities if they experience health impacts from smoke.

Getting to campus: Employees who cannot safely commute to campus should coordinate with their supervisors to work remotely. Supervisors are asked to work directly with their employees to meet critical staffing and operational needs on campus. Students who cannot safely commute to campus should reach out to their professors to discuss accommodations. Those who work in UCLA Health clinical areas (including medical, dental and nursing clinics) will receive communications directly from UCLA Health. Please note that all hospitals are open and operational.

Downed trees or power lines: If you see a downed tree or power line on campus, please call Facilities Management 24/7 at 310-825-9236.

12:00 PM: Los Angeles County is currently experiencing a destructive windstorm.  Wildfire smoke is currently visible on campus from an active wildfire burning in the Pacific Palisades / Temescal Canyon area.  The UCLA Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and Fire Department (UCFD) are currently monitoring the situation and will provide updates as necessary.

During the windstorm event, scattered downed trees and power outages are likely to occur.  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.  Motorists should treat flashing red signal lights as an all-way stop and treat every entrance to an intersection as a stop sign.

For more information from the City of Los Angeles, please visit https://emergency.lacity.gov/updates.