LA Fires Rapid Research
California has long battled wildfires, but the scale and impact of recent fires have pushed emergency response systems to their limits. The fires that broke out in Los Angeles County in early January presented new challenges as flames reached deeper into urban areas.
Los Angeles’ well-known auto-centric environment played a significant role in shaping residents’ ability to evacuate quickly and safely. Heavy reliance on personal vehicles and poor street connectivity led to gridlock for many, while those without access to cars were presented with critical barriers to safety. As recovery efforts begin, the fires have highlighted critical gaps in our region’s emergency response and transportation systems, especially for vulnerable communities.
To assess and understand these challenges, the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies funded four rapid-response research projects. The studies aim to support policymakers, transit agencies, emergency planners, and local communities in shaping a more equitable and resilient approach to disaster response in the Los Angeles region.
MEDIA INQUIRIES
Claudia Bustamante
Communications Manager
424-259-5486
cbustamante@luskin.ucla.edu
Publications
Projects
Principal Investigator:
Yeonsu SongThe goal of this project is to review and synthesize existing research on the challenges faced by older adults with disabilities during and after wildfire evacuations. This includes an examination of transportation-related issues, which are often a significant barrier to safe and timely evacuations. Our aim is to identify gaps in the current literature, highlight areas of future research, and explore policy implications that can improve preparedness, evacuation, and resilience for this vulnerable population.
Principal Investigator:
Megan MullinA race to rebuild transportation infrastructure may preclude or increase the cost of other community-defined priorities that could emerge during the long recovery process. Once roadway repairs and reconstruction are underway, it becomes more difficult to pursue alternative transportation pathways, such as building complete streets or designing grids for more effective evacuation. The task of rebuilding therefore requires a community engagement process that is broader in scope than what transportation agencies typically use to promote public participation in transportation decision making.
Principal Investigator:
Madeline BrozenMost existing studies of wildfire evacuations focus on vehicle-owning households and assume that evacuees will use their personal vehicles while evacuating. However, no studies have collected near real-time data on transit riders’ evacuation behavior or their adaptation behavior immediately post-evacuation.
Principal Investigator:
Tierra BillsWhile much attention in the literature has focused on wildfire evacuation disparities tied to transportation and communications infrastructure and policy needs, limited focus has been on the transportation- and infrastructure-related needs to support recovery and resilience from wildfire events, and for vulnerable communities.