People collect aid items at the YMCA distribution center at Pasadena City College after residents fled the Eaton Fire, one of six simultaneous wildfires sweeping across Los Angeles County. Jan. 11, 2025. Photo by Ringo Chiu, Reuters
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Topline:
Colleges and universities across Los Angeles County are adapting to the ongoing impacts of several deadly, destructive fires, including the Palisades Fire on the west side of L.A. and the Eaton Fire to the east in Altadena.
Students mobilize: Within days of the start of the Los Angeles-area fires, student leaders mobilized their organizations to engage in mutual aid efforts and share resources.
Read on . . . for more information about volunteer opportunities and resources are available from different college campuses across L.A. and Orange counties.
Colleges and universities across Los Angeles County are adapting to the ongoing impacts of several deadly, destructive fires, including the Palisades Fire on the west side of L.A. and the Eaton Fire to the east in Altadena. Several campuses have closed, reopened or moved instruction online throughout last week and this week. With many campuses returning from winter break this week, students, staff and administrators are grappling with a challenging start to their new academic term and devastation in their communities.
Additionally, some campuses are providing resource hubs, for their own students and employees as well as their surrounding communities. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has set up disaster recovery centers at Pasadena City College and UCLA, which are serving as one-stop-shops for resources.
Campuses close, classes move online
Several colleges and universities, including Pasadena City College, UCLA, Pepperdine University and Occidental College, either temporarily closed campuses or moved to remote instruction.
Pasadena City College, which was in the middle of its winter intersession when the Eaton fire broke out, closed both of its campuses from Jan. 8-12, according to campus-wide emails. The college resumed in-person instruction Monday.
Superintendent and President José Gómez sent an email describing the community hub that has been created in a parking lot on the main campus. Several organizations, including the YMCA of Metropolitan Los Angeles, the Pasadena Unified School District, the Young 9 Foundation, the Pasadena Humane Society and the Rotary Club of Pasadena, have been helping sort donations and distribute essential supplies like food, water and clothing to thousands who have been affected. On Sunday, the college provided a meeting space for first responders and government officials to answer community questions.
“I think this is a great testament to how committed our leaders are and also seeing all the community members coming together to donate and support,” said Student Trustee Irene Wong. “It’s been really heartwarming and hopeful to see the community come together for those in need.”
The college will continue to provide free meals with World Central Kitchen through Jan. 15 and has established a Community Relief Fund for those affected. There is also a tech lending program for students and staff who need access to laptops and Wi-Fi.
On the west side of the county, Santa Monica College closed its seven campuses from Jan. 8-12. All but one re-opened Monday. The Malibu campus remains closed with staff working remotely and instruction taking place online after the area was evacuated due to the Palisades fire. Santa Monica Police Department is using a parking lot at the Performing Arts Center campus as a temporary command post to support nearby firefighting operations. The college website lists several resources that students can access, including hotel rooms, meals and mental health resources. Santa Monica College has also established a Disaster Support Fund.
All nine campuses in the Los Angeles Community College District closed from Jan. 9-11, with staff working remotely and instruction moved online, due to concerns about air quality, safety and increased traffic. Campuses returned to in-person classes Monday, though students and employees can request accommodations if they need them.
Aracely Aguiar, president of Los Angeles Pierce College in the San Fernando Valley, said, “we’re being flexible, because we know that many of the faculty members and the students could have been impacted.”
Aguiar said that several Pierce faculty have lost homes in the fires, and the Foundation for the LACCD is fundraising to support the district’s staff and students who are affected. The Pierce campus is also serving as an animal evacuation center for the Palisades fire, housing more than 200 horses and other large animals.
Students walk through the UCLA campus in Los Angeles on Feb. 18, 2022.
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Raquel Natalicchio
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When Eva Lemmon, a freshman at UCLA, first heard the news of the LA fires, it felt like her freshman year of high school, when she heard school was going online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It kind of reminded me of when we went into quarantine,” Lemmon said. “I think everybody was very disoriented, especially because school had just started.”
The winter quarter began at UCLA on Jan. 6, but will remain online through Jan. 17.
UCLA is not in the evacuation zone of the Palisades fire, but in a letter from Chancellor Julio Frenk, the switch to remote instruction is to prioritize the community’s “safety and wellness.”
Lemmon grew up in L.A., attending middle and high school in the Pasadena area. Lemmon has left the UCLA campus for now and is at her parents’ Manhattan Beach home.
“(L.A. is) my favorite place in the world,” Lemmon said. “So many places that I used to hang out in middle school, high school, places that I would go hiking out in West LA — it’s insane to me to think that these places are gone. It’s just going to feel so different, even if it’s rebuilt.”
According to UCLA’s website, the university’s Economic Crisis Response Team is providing resources to students displaced by the fires. It is also providing temporary housing to employees who have lost their homes.
Occidental College in northeast Los Angeles is currently not in the Eaton fire evacuation zone. However, the campus was temporarily closed from Jan. 8-12 due to its proximity to the fire. The campus reopened Monday and classes will resume in-person on Jan. 21 for the spring semester.
Logan Morris, a third-year student at Occidental College, was visiting home in the Bay Area for winter break when she first heard about the fires. Her initial reaction was mixed — fear for what her future at the school would look like and grief for those in the LA area.
“What if I don’t have a school to go back to?” she said.
Now, as a member of the LA community, she wants to do what she can to help when she returns.
“I do feel very connected with LA and want to help the best that I can,” Morris said. “I want to help bring back what makes LA, LA I want to be able to be a part of seeing it come back to life.”
A pedestrian walks on the campus of Occidental College in Los Angeles on Dec. 20, 2022.
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Pablo Unzueta
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The Palisades Fire is 2.5 miles away from Pepperdine University’s campus in Malibu and, according to the university’s website, the fire does not pose a threat to the campus. Classes resumed from winter break online on Monday and will continue to be taught remotely until Jan. 19. The university is providing resources to students who have lost their homes, supported by the Pepperdine Strong Fund. The fund initially provided support to the Pepperdine community following the Franklin Fire that broke out on Dec. 9 in Malibu and burned more than 4,000 acres, 2.4 miles from campus.
Nearby campuses provide flexibility, support for employees and students
Several Los Angeles-area colleges have remained open, but are providing remote work alternatives, masks, and other support due to air quality, nearby evacuations and other challenges. These campuses, including Loyola Marymount University, Cal State Los Angeles and the University of Southern California, have not been evacuated and are not in evacuation warning zones, but are taking precautions.
At Loyola Marymount, which is located in the Westchester area of LA, the new semester began as scheduled on Monday. However, the university is providing accommodations to students, faculty and staff displaced by the fires.
At USC, classes resumed after winter break on Monday as scheduled. Students, staff and faculty can request N95 masks to help protect against the poor air quality. According to the USC Website, students with asthma, COPD, heart conditions or other sensitive health conditions can request a temporary housing reassignment through a Google Form. For faculty displaced by the fires, the university is helping them find temporary housing.
At Cal State Los Angeles, located in east LA, spring semester classes are set to start on Jan. 21, the regularly scheduled date. Patrick K. Day, vice president for student affairs, sent a campus-wide email outlining resources the school is providing, such as the Golden Eagles LA Fires Recovery Fund, which will help faculty, staff and students who live in neighborhoods affected by the fires and are in critical need. Counseling and Psychological Services will also have special “triage hours” for students who need mental health support. Day shared how moved he was by the support of the Cal State LA community.
“These gestures of care are evidence of a community coming together during a time of great loss, pain, and uncertainty — it makes me proud to be a Golden Eagle,” Day wrote.
Students mobilize to help raise money and support for LA communities
Within days of the start of the Los Angeles-area fires, student leaders mobilized their organizations to engage in mutual aid efforts and share resources.
Leila Salam, a third-year student at UCLA, discussed how several of her classmates and friends have family who have evacuated or lost homes in the fires. As the chapter chair of CALPIRG at UCLA, a campus organization focused on public interest advocacy, she and other members started their own fundraiser.
“We had people share out information on their social medias, of, like, where people could donate, and then call friends and family members personally to kind of tell them about the issue, why it’s important, and then ask for donations,” Salam said. “And just through doing that event for three hours, we were able to raise over $1,000.”
Salam is working with other campus organizations and leaning on her organization’s network of 25,000 students across UC campuses to host a donation drive this week. By continuing these efforts, she hopes to “make an even bigger impact.”
Orange Coast College sophomore Evelyn McCready is a boatswain, or youth leader, of a Sea Scout group called “Ship 550 Malolo.” Her group is organizing a donation drive Jan. 18. Although the group is based in Long Beach, she said members have been affected by the fires.
“We have many scouts that are currently living around active fire zones,” McCready said. “One of the groups that frequents our base is based out of Altadena, one of our own camps that’s called Josepho was destroyed in the Palisades fire.”
McCready was motivated to help because of how frequently California wildfires have occurred and cited an oath she took as a Sea Scout. “Part of [the oath] is to be prepared to render aid to those in need,” she said. “So, it is simply our responsibility to help the victims of the fires, because, well, we could be next.”
Alpha Tau Delta, a professional nursing fraternity at UC Irvine, has collected a variety of donations, from baby formula to medical supplies.
Mandy Bautista, a second-year student at UC Irvine and media manager for Alpha Tau Delta, said he was glad to contribute to the cause. “It’s beautiful to see our community come together for these efforts, and if everyone comes together to help for a common cause, we can make such a substantial impact to those in need,” he said.
Delilah Brumer and Victoria Mejicanos are College Journalism Network fellows. Camelia Heins and Khadeejah Khan are contributors with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.
Aaron Schrank
has been on the ground, reporting on homelessness and other issues in L.A. for more than a decade.
Published April 2, 2026 4:23 PM
Supervisor Holly Mitchell, L.A. County Department of Public Health Director Dr. Barbara Ferrer, actor Danny Trejo and others gathered at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science in Wilmington.
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Topline:
A new private foundation called The Fund for Advancing Public Health LA launched Thursday, aiming to raise $2 million to shore up county health services this year. It comes after the Department of Public Health closed seven clinics following $50 million in funding cuts since early 2025.
Who's behind it: The foundation's board includes Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer, the CEOs of Blue Shield of California Foundation and LA Care Health Plan, actors Sean Penn and Danny Trejo and more. Board member Saree Kayne of the R&S Kayne Foundation pledged $150,000 at the launch. Ferrer acknowledged it's "a hard day" when a public agency has to turn to private donors to fund basic services.
Deeper cuts ahead: The federal "Big Beautiful Bill" slashes Medi-Cal funding, and the department anticipates losing up to $300 million over the next three years. Federal dollars account for nearly half the public health budget.
Some government funding streams for L.A. County’s public health system are drying up, and officials are turning to private philanthropy to fill the gap.
A new privately funded foundation launched Thursday to strengthen public health services after $50 million in federal, state and local funding cuts to the county’s Department of Public Health since early last year.
“It is really a hard day for our community when we have to ask for private donations to fund a public good, but unfortunately, we've lost too much money to not take this important step,” said Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer.
In February, the county’s Public Health Department closed seven clinics, with six remaining open. About half of the patients seen in those clinics are uninsured, according to county officials. The department also cut hundreds of staff positions.
She said the fund will help the county maintain its basic public health infrastructure, including disease prevention, health promotion, environmental health, and emergency response efforts.
Other board members include several health insurance executives, as well as actors Sean Penn and Danny Trejo. Board member Saree Kayne of the R&S Kayne Foundation pledged $150,000 to the fund Thursday. Kayne said she hopes the donation encourages others to give.
The foundation aims to raise $2 million this year.
More cuts expected
L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell said it’s crucial to have an alternative funding stream to protect services for the county's most vulnerable residents.
“We are saving public health,” Mitchell said. “This fund represents a new approach, one that brings together government philanthropy in the private sector to invest in community-based solutions, protect vulnerable populations, and strengthen our public health infrastructure.”
Officials say more public health cuts are coming, through the federal budget law known as the "Big Beautiful Bill," which slashes funding for Medi-Cal.
The county Department of Public Health anticipates losing up to $300 million in revenue over the next three years because of the federal budget bill and other potential funding freezes. Federal funding accounts for almost 50% of the public health budget, according to county officials.
Mitchell also led an effort to put a half-percent county sales tax increase to fund public health on the June ballot.
If approved by voters, that proposal, known as Measure ER, is expected to raise about $1 billion a year for county safety net health services, including about $100 million for the public health department.
Adolfo Guzman-Lopez
is an arts and general assignment reporter on LAist's Explore LA team.
Published April 2, 2026 4:20 PM
Water infrastructure such as pipes that feed water to drinking fountains and toilets at the Rose Bowl Stadium are getting an infusion of $1 million for fixes.
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Topline:
Rep. Laura Friedman today announced that she secured $1 million for improvements to the water infrastructure at the aging Rose Bowl Stadium as it prepares for a global starring role in the LA28 Olympics.
Why it matters: The pipes may be working fine — for now — but the fear of backed-up toilets as the world watches is an ongoing worry at the venue.
Why now: Public officials have been pushing for spending to improve Olympic venues and surrounding areas as L.A. and other municipalities roll out the red carpet for the world to attend the Olympics. But they’ve hit road bumps and detours.
The backstory: The Rose Bowl is 103 years old and public officials have committed to spending $200 million to upgrade the Pasadena venue over the next two decades.
The Rose Bowl in Pasadena may be a centenarian, but it’s holding up pretty well as it continues to host events on its way to a starring role in the LA28 Olympics.
But before it can host the soccer final, it needs fixes, especially to the infrastructure serving the bathrooms and drinking fountains. Fears of a toilet backup while in the world’s spotlight led Rep. Laura Friedman to seek federal funds for upgrades. On Thursday she announced she secured just over $1 million.
“Two years from now, athletes around the world are going to compete for gold right where we are standing. This is not the time to find out whether or not these pipes are up to the task,” Friedman said.
The planned work, she added, will lead to improved water flow capacity and water drainage, eliminating the risk of backups and emergency maintenance.
The funds came from the House of Representatives Interior and Environment subcommittee. The fixes, an official said, will be completed by the LA28 Olympics.
The funds, however, are a drop in the bucket when it comes to what’s needed to make needed improvements to the Pasadena venue.
Officials, including (left to right) Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation President Dedan Brozino, Deputy Fire Chief of the City of Pasadena Tim Sell, Congresswoman Laura Friedman, and Rose Bowl Stadium CEO Jens Weiden announced infrastructure funding for the 103-year old Rose Bowl.
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“Over the next 20 years there's about $200 million that we need to put in and that's everything from updating light fixtures to updating gas, water, wastewater lines, etc.,” said Dedan Brozino, president of the Rose Bowl Legacy Foundation, the nonprofit that supports the Rose Bowl stadium's preservation and enhancement.
Getting venues ready will be expensive
The money is a much-needed win at a time when elected officials in city, county, state and federal offices have been struggling to find the funds to get L.A.-area venues ready for the global Olympic stage in two years.
The entrance to a men's bathroom at the Rose Bowl.
Additionally, to save money, LA28 organizers moved Olympic diving to the Rose Bowl complex last year because it has two Olympic-sized pools, while the Exposition Park complex doesn't and would need expensive upgrades.
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Kevin Tidmarsh
is a producer for LAist, covering news and culture. He’s been an audio/web journalist for about a decade.
Published April 2, 2026 3:39 PM
This Cape vulture chick hatched March 14 at the L.A. Zoo.
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Topline:
The zoo said it’s the first major breeding success in its Cape vulture habitat, which opened up last year. The chick now joins the zoo’s committee — that’s the name for a group of vultures.
About the chick: The chick hatched on March 14. The zoo opened its Cape vulture enclosure in February 2025 after years of planning to encourage the birds to roost and nest, welcoming a new breeding pair that year. When it grows to be an adult, it’ll have a wingspan of eight and a half feet.
About the enclosure: The L.A. Zoo said it spent years developing the vulture habitat, which was designed to mimic the vultures’ natural environment in South Africa. Dominick Dorsa II, the zoo’s director of animal care, said in a statement the successful hatching is “a testament to the design and construction” of the habitat.
How to see the chick: You can’t for the time being. Zoo officials are keeping it away from visitors until the chick matures, though you can still see adult Cape vultures at the zoo’s enclosure.
Though visitors will have to wait until the chick matures to see it in the enclosure, you can still take in the impressive eight and a half foot wingspan of the adult Cape vultures.
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What zoo officials are saying: “Welcoming a Cape vulture chick is a thrilling moment for our team and a beacon of hope for African vultures,” the L.A. Zoo’s curator of birds Rose Legato said in a statement. “Vultures are one of nature's most misunderstood marvels, and I cannot wait for our guests to eventually watch this chick grow and learn just how vital they are to our ecosystems.”
About the species: Cape vultures are listed as a vulnerable species due to human activities and encroachment. According to the L.A. Zoo, African vultures are more closely related to eagles and hawks than vultures native to the Americas, like the California condors that just hatched last year at the L.A. Zoo.
Topline:
The Los Angeles Zoo said it’s the first major breeding success in its Cape vulture habitat, which opened up last year. The chick now joins the zoo’s committee — that’s the name for a group of vultures.
About the chick: The chick hatched March 14. The zoo opened its Cape vulture enclosure in February 2025 after years of planning to encourage the birds to roost and nest, welcoming a new breeding pair that year. When it grows to be an adult, it’ll have a wingspan of 8 1/2 feet.
About the enclosure: The L.A. Zoo said it spent years developing the vulture habitat, which was designed to mimic the vultures’ natural environment in South Africa and nearby countries. Dominick Dorsa II, the zoo’s director of animal care, said in a statement the successful hatching is “a testament to the design and construction” of the habitat.
How to see the chick: You can’t for the time being. Zoo officials are keeping it away from visitors until the chick matures, though you can still see adult Cape vultures at the zoo’s enclosure.
Though visitors will have to wait until the chick matures to see it in the enclosure, you can still take in the impressive eight and a half foot wingspan of the adult Cape vultures.
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Courtesy Jamie Pham/L.A. Zoo
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What zoo officials are saying: “Welcoming a Cape vulture chick is a thrilling moment for our team and a beacon of hope for African vultures,” the L.A. Zoo’s curator of birds Rose Legato said in a statement. “Vultures are one of nature's most misunderstood marvels, and I cannot wait for our guests to eventually watch this chick grow and learn just how vital they are to our ecosystems.”
About the species: Cape vultures are listed as a vulnerable species due to human activities and encroachment. According to the L.A. Zoo, African vultures are more closely related to eagles and hawks than vultures native to the Americas, like the zoo's California condors that hatched last year.
What should have been a celebration for formerly incarcerated youth completing a reentry program at the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC) last week instead ended with seven students and two staff members detained by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to witnesses.
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Last week, seven students and two staff members from the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC) were detained by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to witnesses. Now, BHAC staff and city officials are demanding answers from the LAPD, with some accusing officers of racial profiling.
What happened: According to the LAPD, officers observed a large group gathered on the corner of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Mott Street around 4:16 p.m. on March 26. The group, classified by police as an “aggressive gang group,” consisted of seven 18-year-old students from the BHAC’s Bridge Academy Movement (BAM) program and two BHAC staff members.
Allegations of racial profiling: In total, seven 18-year-old students and two staff members were detained. BHAC staff said one student and one staff member were taken to Hollenbeck Community Police Station and released less than two hours later after advocacy from community members and Councilmember Ysabel Jurado. According to Rene Weber, a teaching artist at the BHAC, the students had gone to coffee across the street at Milpa Kitchen as they often did. After Weber told the officers that all of the students were 18, they said they would investigate whether the group had any gang affiliation.
What is BAM? The BAM program pays formerly incarcerated youth to complete 200-250 hours in media and visual arts training to prepare them for creative careers. That day, students were set to showcase their work at the BAM program graduation for families and community members.
What should have been a celebration for formerly incarcerated youth completing a reentry program at the Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory (BHAC) last week instead ended with seven students and two staff members detained by the Los Angeles Police Department, according to witnesses.
Now, nearly a week later, BHAC staff and city officials are demanding answers from the LAPD, with some accusing officers of racial profiling.
According to the LAPD, officers observed a large group gathered on the corner of Cesar E. Chavez Avenue and Mott Street around 4:16 p.m. on March 26. Authorities then requested backup for what they described as “a large group surrounding officers,” LAPD Public Information Officer Tony Im said.
The group, classified by police as an “aggressive gang group,” consisted of seven 18-year-old students from the BHAC’s Bridge Academy Movement (BAM) program and two BHAC staff members.
The BAM program pays formerly incarcerated youth to complete 200-250 hours in media and visual arts training to prepare them for creative careers. That day, students were set to showcase their work at the BAM program graduation for families and community members.
Rene Weber, a teaching artist at the BHAC, had been with the students setting up for the ceremony minutes before the incident occurred.
According to Weber, the students had gone to coffee across the street at Milpa Kitchen as they often did, when staff were alerted that they were being detained.
Weber said he arrived to find students and a staff member pressed against the wall in handcuffs.
Video from the scene, taken by a staff member at the BHAC, shows multiple officers surrounding the group. At one point, an officer orders a person to “get on the wall” and displays a stun gun.
“No, none of that, these are kids right here,” the staff member replies.
Another staff member, Teotl Veliz, recorded a large police response.
“I counted 12 cop cars, that’s at least 25 cops, and they had a helicopter,” Veliz said. “It was just so comedic, tragically comedic, that it was on their graduation day too.”
Officers established a perimeter with yellow tape along the side of Ashley’s Beauty Salon as local business owners and witnesses gathered around the students.
“I was just incredibly disappointed in LAPD… because it became so apparent to everybody, all at the same time, that it was racial profiling and nothing else,” Veliz said.
Weber said officers gave shifting explanations for the stop at the scene, including blocking the sidewalk and possible underage vaping. After Weber told the officers that all of the students were 18, they said they would investigate whether the group had any gang affiliation.
Police have not responded to questions about what led officers to believe that the group was gang-affiliated.
Weber recalled pleading with the officers to let the group go and explaining to them that they worked across the street. Community members and local business owners also stepped in to vouch for the students.
“Our job is to help them gain a new perspective on life,” Weber said. “They’re coming out of juvenile detention and they’re turning their lives around. We can do our part in keeping them off the streets and keeping them doing better but what does it mean if they’re going to be profiled and treated exactly the same way?”
In total, seven 18-year-old students and two staff members were detained. BHAC staff said one student and one staff member were taken to Hollenbeck Community Police Station and released less than two hours later after advocacy from community members and Councilmember Ysabel Jurado.
The incident ultimately resulted in an infraction for smoking a cannabis e-vape on a public sidewalk, according to a photo of the infraction shared with the Beat. LAPD did not provide details about the people taken to Hollenbeck Station or the infraction.
The graduation ceremony was cancelled that night and is expected to be rescheduled in April.
“Graduation should be a moment of pride and possibility — not fear,” Jurado said in a statement. “I’m seeking answers about what occurred, and this underscores the need for stronger relationships between law enforcement and community organizations so moments like these are protected, not disrupted.”
Carmelita Ramirez‑Sanchez, the conservatory’s executive director, said she was grateful to the community and Jurado for advocating for the students’ release. Jurado met her at Hollenbeck Station within 20 minutes of being alerted to the incident, she said.
“They had store owners, señoras, barbers, that ran out and were trying to explain to the police who our kids were,” Ramirez‑Sanchez said.
Still, she said the incident tarnished what should have been a joyous celebration.
“I imagine that what this does is derail this entire idea that you can be an active participant in your own restorative growth,” she said.
