As wildfires devastated areas around Los Angeles County, Plant Manager Salvador Rivas and custodial staff spent the weekend cleaning the campus to ensure safety when students and staff returned to school.
“I was here (at) 5 a.m. (Monday) in the morning going through every room making sure the rooms were ready for students,” Rivas said. “Also (I) did exterior walkthroughs, making sure there’s no broken limbs on trees.”
After the outbreak of multiple fires powered by strong winds starting on Jan. 7, safety is the primary concern of students, parents and staff. According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CDFFP), wildfires burned 40,000 acres, more than 12,000 structures and resulted in more than 23 casualties as of today. The closest fire, the Palisades fire, burned 23,000 acres. Over the weekend, the fire reached Mulholland Drive, only a few miles south of Ventura Boulevard and Lindley Avenue, causing plumes of smoke clouds to cover the sky in Encino, Tarzana and Sherman Oaks.
Daniel Pearl Magnet High School (DPMHS) remained open on Jan. 7, when the wildfires began. The next day, only 85 out of 180 students attended classes. Later that afternoon, the school district announced all schools and offices were going to be closed on Jan. 9 and remained continued on until Jan. 10.
“I did find two large broken limbs on a tree,” said Rivas when conducting an exterior walk. “They’re embedded into the tree, so I put caution tape to secure the area.”
To ensure student-safety, over the weekend, DPMHS replaced all air conditioner filters. Conditions improved and fires became more contained, with the Hurst fire in Sylmar, extinguished at 97% containment according to the CDFFP. On Jan. 12, the school district announced most schools would reopen on Jan. 13, but schools in the highest impact areas in Pacific Palisades were to remain closed. DPMHS is operating on an inclement weather schedule.
Freshman Silas Hinkle expressed concerns about the school’s initial decision to remain open.
“I felt worried because they felt the need to close my school,” said Hinkle, who had to evacuate.
While ashes have continued entering classrooms, Rivas plans to stay on top of cleaning regularly to keep a safe learning environment. Monday afternoon, LAUSD updated parents on the reopening of most schools and offices, crediting staff and district employees who tended to the schools, ensuring safety on campus for students.
“I feel safe, not (having) to be worried the entire time we’re here, and I feel it’s good because then (if students) live near a fire, they have a safer place to be with better air quality,” said sophomore Emma Bullock, who was in an evacuation zone. “I feel a lot safer (at school) since it’s farther than where I live.”
