Pepperdine University students who’ve hunkered down with their peers on campus amid the shelter-in-place order that was issued due to the Franklin Fire say although harrowing, they understand they’re in the safest place they could be.
Students at the coastal school were ordered to shelter in place at the Payson Library and Waves Café, where generators are providing power to their best ability.
“We’ve got food and water, power for charging their phones so they can continue to keep in contact with their loved ones,” said Michael Friel, Director of Communications and Public Relations for Pepperdine.
Flynn said students put chairs and couches together to get comfortable as they ride out the emergency order. As flames inched closer to the campus, final exams that were scheduled have since been canceled.
“We were supposed to be taking finals this week and with the students that I talked to, we’d much rather be taking finals than living through this experience,” said Rachel Flynn, a Pepperdine senior.
She said she’s been feeling apprehensive watching the flames from a distance.
“Tonight, it’s on Dresher Hill, which is the opposite side of campus than it was last night,” she said. “So, that’s definitely concerning for me because that’s where my dorm is located. That’s where my car is parked. I’m watching the flames expand and grow.”
However, the university assures the structures on campus were retrofitted to withstand these kinds of emergencies. It also said that fire activity has “greatly diminished” near the campus.
“Firefighters continue to respond to and put out lingering hot spots and protect structures,” the university said in a social media post. “Early analysis indicates there has been little to no damage to structures around campus, and no injuries have been reported.”
As of Tuesday night, the blaze swelled to more than 2,800 acres with 0% containment.
