Widespread wildfires across Los Angeles County have forced city schools to shutter, with at least three buildings in Pacific Palisades sustaining “significant damage” from the raging blazes.
A spokesperson for Los Angeles’ largest school district, the Los Angeles Unified Schools (LAUSD), confirmed to Fox News Digital that at least three schools sustained damage from the fierce flames.
“Palisades Charter High School, Palisades Charter Elementary School, and Marquez Elementary School have sustained significant damage as a result of the Palisades fires,” a spokesperson said.
The school district said it is working closely with authorities and emergency response to assess the situation and determine next steps to minimize disruption to students’ learning.
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Footage from Fox News affiliate, KTTV, showed Palisades Charter Elementary School caught up in the blaze.
In total, at least 24 school districts have announced full or partial closures, according to the LA County Office of Education.
Alhambra Unified Superintendent Denise Jaramillo wrote in a statement Wednesday that district staff need more time to inspect schools for safety. The district is located in the western San Gabriel Valley region of Los Angeles County.
“While our campuses have fared relatively well thus far, the air quality is expected to remain poor due to excessive dust from the winds and smoke from the fires,” Jaramillio wrote.
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The statement also said: “A significant number of our staff members are currently under evacuation orders, which will impact school operations and staffing levels.”
WATCH:
Many other southern California school districts have announced closures through Friday.
Burbank Unified School District, Glendale Unified School District, La Canada Unified and Pasadena Unified School District will remain closed through Friday, the LA County School District announced.
The LAUSD said that it will continue assessing the situation and make a decision about Friday classes on Thursday.
Resources
- Student academic support: LAUSD’s Continuity of Learning plan.
- Mental health: Student and Family Wellness Resource Line, 213-241-3840, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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