Updates and information on wildfires

Latest information

2:54 pm, Wednesday, Dec 20, 2023

Effective immediately all facilities on the residential campus can resume their pre-evacuation status. The only activities that may resume are those that had been approved prior to the Aug. 20 evacuation through the COVID-19 resumption approval process. Smoke odors may still be present and air scrubbers may still be running in the hallways. Should your department need assistance with mitigating the smoke odor, please contact Environmental Health and Safety (EH&S) at ehs@ucsc.edu.

Information specific to student on-campus housing will be sent by the housing office directly to students.

As fires continue to burn throughout the region, the campus continues to track air quality, and will utilize the UC guidance for addressing air quality to inform any subsequent actions we need to take.

Please be mindful that due to the wildfire event and campus closure, the wildlife population on campus has increased. It’s especially important to go slow on campus roadways and be aware when out on campus trails. In addition to the turkeys and deer, we have seen an increase in the coyote, fox and other species throughout the campus.

Get help

UC Santa Cruz has an array of support services for employees and students affected by the wildfires.

Stay informed

We encourage everyone to stay safe and informed. We ask each of you to monitor conditions that impact you locally as each of your situations will differ.

• Cal Fire is providing updates through its Twitter account and residents can sign up to receive its email updates.
• CHP is sharing information about road closures.
• Santa Cruz and San Mateo counties have a real-time evacuation map.

Campus updates

Tuesday, Sep 08

• Post-fire building assessment now complete

Friday, Sep 04

• Next phase of building resumption - additional buildings cleared to open

• Additional support for employees impacted by wildfire - launch Wildfire Relief Fund grant applications

Thursday, Sep 03

• Next phase of building resumption - additional buildings cleared to open

Wednesday, Sep 02

• Next phase of building resumption - additional buildings cleared to open

Tuesday, Sep 01

• Next phase of building resumption - additional buildings cleared to open

Monday, Aug 31

• Next phase of building resumption - additional buildings cleared to open

Saturday, Aug 29

• Next phase of building resumption - additional buildings cleared to open

Friday, Aug 28

• New vacation payout program for those impacted by the wildfires

• Resumption of Operations at Coastal Science Campus, Westside Research Park; emergency declaration modified

Wednesday, Aug 26

• Re-opening employee housing, rest of campus remains closed

Tuesday, Aug 25

• CZU Lightning Complex fire: How to give help, how to get help

Sunday, Aug 23

• Support services for employees impacted by the wildfires and evacuations

• Santa Cruz County wildfires 8% contained, potential bad weather approaching the region

Saturday, Aug 22

• Weekend UCSC Fire Update

Friday, Aug 21

• Update on campus response to wildfire

• You are not alone - we are with you

• UCSC Fire Update

Thursday, Aug 20

• Support for employee needs emerging from the current wildfires

• CalFire evacuation order

• EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION: Evacuation order  – Emergency Declaration

• UC Santa Cruz Declaration of Emergency

• Evacuation warning

• Mandatory research cessation and information about securing research materials

• Initiating the next steps in our fire response - beginning next stages of voluntary evacuations

• The impact of fires on our community

• Support during difficult times

• Impact of fires on instruction

• Temporary cessation of non-essential on-campus research activities recommended due to poor air quality and possible fire threat

• Critical update on wildfires in Santa Cruz—preparation for potential evacuation

Wednesday, Aug 19

• Be prepared for possible evacuation

• Additional support for employees impacted by wildfire evacuations

• Update on fires impacting our region

• Campus air quality

Tuesday, Aug 18

• Supporting campus community members impacted by evacuation orders