As a wildfire erupted, Malibu was told to evacuate. Why were students at Pepperdine told to stay put?

The 830-acre Christian college invested in fire-proofing its buildings and landscaping, a strategy that has long-served it

As thousands of residents fled a roaring wildfire ripping through Malibu’s mountainsides on Monday, Pepperdine University students stayed put.

Howling winds spit embers into the trees of the Christian college’s picturesque campus and the skies cast an ominous orange and red haze as students gathered in two buildings in the center of campus.