As the Franklin Fire forced evacuation orders or warnings for 18,000 residents in the Malibu area along the Southern California coast– including some celebrities, and more than 8,000 homes and businesses– students at Pepperdine University hunkered down to shelter-in-place.

When the Franklin Fire​ broke out in Malibu this week, students at Pepperdine University were told to stay put — even as those in neighboring communities fled for their lives. Here's why the school has had this policy in place for decades.