Bulldog Bites

News and Views from the University of Redlands

U of R president speaks to Southern California wildfires

While the University of Redlands campuses remained out of the range of this week’s raging Southern California wildfires, President Ralph Kuncl acknowledged the scope of the blazes and offered his sympathy to those affected. His note to members of the University community reads:

The education community across Southern California, like so many communities and individual families in the region, is being affected by the massive wildfires burning this week. Many schools, colleges, and universities, including the UCLA campus and medical centers, have canceled classes, sports, and other public activities either because of proximity to one of the fires, or due to the dangerous, smoke- and particulate-filled air.

One of our faculty members was evacuated from his Ventura County home. Our Student Affairs team has reached out to several students with families in fire areas, and so far, all have reported back that they are safe. As the fires’ geography expands, we are doing our best to identify and contact students and families we believe may be at risk. If you have been affected and need support, please call the Office of the University Dean of Student Affairs at 909-748-8281.

These fires follow the recent devastation in Northern California, in which more than 5,000 homes and businesses were destroyed and lives were lost. The Bulldog community is expressing our collective fear and sadness for the harm that is happening to others. Fire hasn’t approached our hillsides, but Redlands, too, is in a red flag zone. So we are monitoring the situation closely and will offer support if anyone needs it.


Editor's Note: For those monitoring the larger situation in the Southern California region, sources of up-to-date information include: