On the morning of January 7, the first reports of fire in the Pacific Palisades marked the beginning of weeks of turmoil and anguish throughout Southern California. From the Palisades to Altadena to Castaic Lake, the fires roared through communities and wilderness, destroying thousands of homes and displacing tens of thousands of residents. The fires are receding now, thanks to heroic efforts to combat them and the welcome arrival of rain last weekend. But grappling with this event has only just begun. UCLA experts are helping to imagine the region’s future, examining policies informed by research that might help guide the restoration, debunking falsehoods about what caused the blazes and helping policymakers consider the way forward.
Below are a few examples of UCLA’s response to this immense tragedy.
After the fires: disaster response and rebuilding
Thousands of Southern Californians faced displacement as wildfires devastated their neighborhoods, leading to the destruction of homes and communities. As families and business owners address immediate needs, the complex rebuilding process begins. Government agencies will need to work to coordinate site cleanups and prioritizing essential infrastructure. Stephen Commins from UCLA highlights the importance of thorough inspections for hazardous materials in older homes before demolition and emphasizes the role of community dynamics in the decision to rebuild, particularly in areas lacking amenities. Local governments are tackling challenges that go beyond financial concerns, securing home insurance in fire-prone regions and adapting regulations to prevent future disasters. Commins stresses
that effective collaboration among all stakeholders, alongside necessary regulatory changes, is vital for a successful recovery and rebuilding effort.
Did environmental objectives deprive Southern California of water that could have been used to fight fires? No. Was brush clearance the “major factor” that caused the fires in the Palisades, Altadena and elsewhere? Also no. UCLA Law Emmett Institute’s Denise Grab, Cara Horowitz, and Julia Stein weigh in on some of these dubious claims, half-truths, and outright lies.
Climate change influences about 25% of extreme fuel moisture deficits in wildfires, which would still happen but be less intense, highlighting the need for mitigation through aggressive human ignition suppression, home hardening, and low-risk urban development.
UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation experts provide insights on water supply, air quality, equitable land use, recovery planning, and disaster response politics, aiming to assist policymakers and communities in prioritizing resilience, equity, and sustainability.
The immediate impact of the fires has been the loss of lives and property. Longer term are the lurking dangers of emotional distress. Melissa Brymer, director of terrorism and disaster programs at the UCLA-Duke National Center for Child Traumatic Stress, emphasizes that the psychological impact varies among individuals, with some experiencing heightened trauma, particularly those who were evacuated. She encourages those affected to seek help and for friends to offer assistance. Brymer also highlights the mental exhaustion stemming from urgent media updates about the fires and recommends taking breaks from devices to prioritize self-care. Furthermore, she notes that firefighters and first responders endure immense mental strain, and their families often bear the brunt of the worry
about their safety and well-being.
UCLA Health doctors warn that breathing in L.A.’s post-fire air can cause long-term health issues, especially for those exposed to wildfire smoke and debris for extended periods. Prolonged exposure significantly increases the risk of severe respiratory problems and other complications.
The Hammer Museum, along with LACMA and MOCA, has partnered with the J. Paul Getty Trust and other arts organizations to create the L.A. Arts Community Fire Relief Fund. This emergency fund supports artists and arts workers affected by the January 2025 fires, helping those who lost homes, studios, or livelihoods.
On January 13, the UCLA softball team distributed athletic apparel to individuals affected by the fires. The team collected more than two dozen boxes filled with various sizes and styles of clothing, including T-shirts and sweatshirts emblazoned with “UCLA softball.” Displaced residents, including Mary Petersen, who lost her home in the Palisades Fire, found solace and support in the community that formed during the event, which was held at the Luskin Conference Center. Infielder Jordan Woolery emphasized the importance of coming together during challenging times, stating that the experience fostered gratitude and a sense of purpose among team members.
UCLA students mobilized to support recovery efforts. They collaborated at distribution centers to deliver essential supplies such as food, water, and hygiene products, while also participating in debris cleanup activities in evacuated neighborhoods. Volunteers organized donation drives and utilized social media to coordinate transportation for those affected. These collective efforts highlighted the community's resilience and dedication to assisting those impacted by the devastating fires.
Sixty years after Martin Luther King Jr. spoke at UCLA, his Westwood legacy lives on
In observance of the 2025 MLK Day, UCLA Newsroom highlighted a selection of stories that showcased how the late civil rights icon’s life and work inspired social justice and education at UCLA. UCLA Library’s Special Collections houses significant artifacts of the university’s history, including a film clip of King speaking on campus in 1965. Audio recordings shed light on the atmosphere of that day and the large number of students present to hear his message of justice.
Forty projects receive 2024 grants for community-engaged scholarship
In 2024, the UCLA Center for Community Engagement announced funding for 40 projects intended to enhance the university's collaboration with Los Angeles, an important objective of the university’s Strategic Plan. The grants fall into three categories: social impact collaboratives, course development, and departmental capacity-building. Notable initiatives include a study on family resilience against racism and a course examining Muslim civic engagement. Additionally, funding from the grants supports academic departments in developing community engagement initiatives, highlighting the transformative partnerships among faculty, students, and community organizations that fulfill UCLA's public mission and create lasting positive change.
The use of plastic products is creating significant risks to human health and the environment, especially in lower-income communities and communities of color. In response, California enacted the Plastic Pollution Prevention and Packaging Producer Responsibility Act (SB 54) authored by Senator Ben Allen (D- Santa Monica), which creates an investment fund for addressing plastic pollution's impacts. Researchers from LCI developed a Three-Part Framework to identify plastic-burdened communities and assess exposure risks based on site-based, dietary, and consumer goods factors. They also introduced a digital mapping tool to highlight plastic processing and disposal facilities along with their impact zones. This comprehensive approach enables decision-makers to target investments in the
most affected areas effectively, while future research aims to enhance the framework's precision and usefulness for California agencies.
UCLA’s online engineering master’s program ranked No. 1. Again.
For the third consecutive year, U.S. News & World Report has ranked UCLA's Samueli School of Engineering online master’s degree program as the best in the nation, making it seven times in eleven years that the program has achieved this distinction. High student engagement, diverse teaching methods, and a world-class faculty contribute to the success of the Master of Science in Engineering Online program, which allows mid-career professionals to earn their degrees in about two years while working full time. With a record enrollment of 549 students this fall, UCLA Samueli offers 16 specialized areas of study, continuously refining its curriculum based on industry and student feedback to meet workforce demands.
Mission: Get more physicians into research UCLA Health’s STAR Program combines a unique physician-scientist training program for both MD-PhD graduates and for those wishing to obtain a PhD.
Dr. Anthony Covarrubias receives $2 million grant from NIH The grant supports the team as they investigate the mechanisms of cellular senescence in macrophages. By exploring this process, they’re working to understand its effects on aging and its connection to conditions like cancer, Alzheimer's, and chronic inflammation.
Supporting Communities: UCLA's Impact
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PROGRAM SPOTLIGHT
The Bunche Center was established with the mission to develop and strengthen African American Studies through research, academic programs, library and media center, special projects, and publications.
