UCLA Experts Offer Critical Support for LA Wildfire Response and Recovery

The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation offers expert guidance on LA wildfire response and recovery, addressing critical issues like water safety, air quality, equitable rebuilding, and climate adaptation to promote resilience and sustainability.

2 minute read

January 20, 2025, 7:00 AM PST

By Clement Lau


Destroyed Altadena Community Church facade after Eaton Fire in Altadena, California.

The Altadena Community Church is one of many structured burned in the Eaton Fire. | Los Angeles County, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons / Wikimedia Commons

The UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation is offering expert guidance to support Los Angeles in addressing the immediate and long-term challenges posed by recent wildfires. The center’s experts are available to provide insights into key areas, including water supply and quality, air quality impacts, equitable land use and recovery planning, and the governance and politics of disaster response. Their goal is to help policymakers and communities navigate this crisis with evidence-based strategies that prioritize resilience, equity, and sustainability.

Gregory Pierce, co-executive director of the Luskin Center, emphasizes the need for improved coordination in water testing, treatment, and public communication to ensure safety and trust in drinking water systems impacted by wildfires. Rachel Connolly, an air quality and environmental equity researcher, highlights the dangers of wildfire smoke, recommending N95 masks, air purifiers, and updated school HVAC systems while advocating for better air quality monitoring tools to address toxic pollutants released during urban fires.

Land use and recovery planning are also priorities, with Megan Mullin urging a community-driven approach to rebuilding that prioritizes equitable investment and resilience rather than exacerbating existing inequalities. Edith de Guzman, a specialist in water equity and climate adaptation, brings critical expertise on the effects of extreme weather, such as the erratic Santa Ana winds that fueled the fires, underscoring the need for adaptive infrastructure and policies to mitigate future risks.

By addressing these interconnected challenges, the UCLA Luskin Center provides a comprehensive resource for leaders and residents. Their insights on disaster governance, the politics of response, and the broader impacts of climate whiplash aim to equip Los Angeles with the tools needed to recover from the immediate crisis while building long-term resilience against climate-driven disasters.

Thursday, January 16, 2025 in UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Get top-rated, practical training

Close-up of "Apartment for rent" sign in red text on black background in front of blurred building

Trump Administration Could Effectively End Housing Voucher Program

Federal officials are eyeing major cuts to the Section 8 program that helps millions of low-income households pay rent.

April 21, 2025 - Housing Wire

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

April 23, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Black and white photos of camp made up of small 'earthquake shacks' in Dolores Park in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake.

The 120 Year Old Tiny Home Villages That Sheltered San Francisco’s Earthquake Refugees

More than a century ago, San Francisco mobilized to house thousands of residents displaced by the 1906 earthquake. Could their strategy offer a model for the present?

April 15, 2025 - Charles F. Bloszies

Spiral ramp on exterior of parking garage in downtown Spokane, Washington.

Washington State Legislature Passes Parking Reform Bill

A bill that would limit parking requirements for new developments is headed to the governor’s desk.

1 hour ago - OPB

Missouri state capitol dome in Jefferson City, MO.

Missouri Law Would Ban Protections for Housing Voucher Users

A state law seeks to overturn source-of-income discrimination bans passed by several Missouri cities.

1 hour ago - Missouri Independent

Los Angeles, California

Op-Ed: Looking for Efficiency? Fund Intercity Buses

Much less expensive than rail, intercity buses serve millions of Americans every year, but public subsidies are lacking.

3 hours ago - Smart Cities Dive