Franklin Fire threatens Pepperdine, but campus doesn't evacuate

As the Franklin Fire burns areas in and around Malibu, evacuation orders sent thousands scrambling.

But for students and staff at Pepperdine University, where the flames and smoke were clearly visible, the best course of action was to shelter in place, not flee, school officials said.

So what makes Pepperdine a safe place to be?

According to school officials, even as the city of Malibu and other nearby areas evacuate, "we do not evacuate the campus even when surrounding areas might - this shelter-in-place protocol is approved by LA County Fire and executed with their cooperation."

Instead of evacuating, everyone at the school is sent to the Tyler Campus Center or Payson Library near the center of campus, which were pre-established as shelter-in-place locations to be used when others evacuate.

School spokesman Michael Friel told KTLA those buildings are "the safest part of campus."

"Thankfully, the campus is well-protected and designed to withstand these kinds of conditions," he added.

Due to the blaze, regular school operations were halted Tuesday.

Friel said that no injuries had been reported.