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 January presented new challenges as flames reached deeper into urban areas.

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 is funding five rapid-response research projects, with results expected within one to three months:

• Understanding mobility challenges for vulnerable communities with limited vehicle access — Tierra Bills, UCLA assistant professor of public policy and civil and environmental engineering
• Improving evacuation plans for transit riders — Madeline Brozen, deputy director of the UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
• Bridging gaps in evacuation and resilience strategies for older adults with disabilities — Yeonsu Song, UCLA assistant professor of nursing and medicine
• Exploring community-driven approaches to infrastructure rebuilding — Megan Mullin, faculty director of the UCLA Luskin Center for Innovation
• Strengthening street network resilience after disasters — John Gahbauer, UCLA ITS research consultant

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.

UCLA ITS Director Adam Millard-Ball noted that the wildfire threat in Los Angeles is not going away. “We’re supporting research that can help us to be prepared for a future emergency, and to plan for rebuilding in an equitable, resilient manner,” Millard-Ball said.

Read full descriptions of the projects on the UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies site

View more fire-related research from the Luskin School