Garden Grove Incident Updates Thread
May 27, 2026, 2:11 p.m.
All evacuation orders have been removed. Per the Orange County Fire Authority: Unified Incident Command is pleased to report that the Garden Grove hazardous materials incident has been stabilized and all evacuation orders have been lifted.
May 25, 2026, 7:28 p.m.
Within the past 90 minutes or so, the evacuation zone has been reduced.
From the Orange County Fire Authority: Effective as of Monday, May 25 at 6pm, the red shaded area represents the newest evacuation zone, while the red outline represents the previous evacuation zone.
May 25, 2026, 4:37 p.m.
Message from Dr. Thayer:
Dear Campus Community,
I know many of you are following the situation regarding the malfunctioning chemical tank at a Garden Grove aerospace plant south of our campus — and that some of you have been directly impacted by the ongoing evacuation as first responders work around the clock to contain the hazmat incident.
This email is intended to provide you with an update on the college’s status as we enter finals and commencement week. This information is provided based on the most recent information as of Monday (May 25, 2026) afternoon.
Should the situation change, we will communicate that as quickly as possible. In the meantime, here’s what we know.
What We Are Doing
Following the expansion of the evacuation zone on Friday, May 22, 2026, Cypress College and the North Orange County Community College District activated the Emergency Operation Center (EOC). Taking that action expands access to, and sharing of, official information with the County of Orange.
As of this writing, Cypress College remains outside of the evacuation zone defined by the incident response team. We remain in contact with responders and are following their guidance.
The most-current guidance was provided by the Orange County Fire Authority at 11:27 a.m. on Sunday, May 24, 2026. OCFA shared the following on their Twitter/X feed: The IMT, in consultation with the EPA and OCHCA, has established the evacuation zone. Any areas outside of this zone are currently considered completely safe and day-to-day activities can continue as normal. Air quality experts, including the EPA and the South Coast Air Quality Management District, have been tracking the atmosphere near the tank and have not detected any contaminants so far.
What To Expect
As of now, the campus will be open on Tuesday, May 26, 2026 for regular business. When or if that status changes, we will share with all stakeholders via email, social media and the campus website as appropriate.
Among the contingency planning undertaken at the college is the exploration of the use of remote instruction for final exams if it becomes necessary. Again, we will continue to collaborate with the county emergency response effort and follow the guidance of the incident managers.
Care for Employees and Students
At Cypress College, we live our motto of “We Take This Journey Together.” In times of stress and uncertainty such as this incident, it is important to understand the varied circumstances our community is experiencing.
We remind our employees that our Employee Assistance Program is available 24/7. We also ask that you consider the impact of this situation unfolding during finals week and as you hear from students who are experiencing the effects of the incident, please show flexibility and compassion as we navigate through these uncertain times.
Where To Get Official Information
Cypress College will share information about our status on the website, via social media, and potentially through broader channels such as email and text, if the situation warrants.
In addition, we recommend official sources of news such as the Orange County Sheriff’s emergency page and the Orange County Fire Authority Twitter/X feed.
Summary
I appreciate your flexibility and understanding during this unfolding incident. If you have any concerns or difficulty reporting to campus, please reach out to your Immediate Management Supervisor.
We are One Cypress,
Scott W. Thayer, Ed.D.
President
Cypress College
May 22, 2026, 2:18 p.m.
Per the ongoing Unified Command media conference, there are two official evacuation sites for those in affected communities. The nearest to the campus is the Cypress Community Center (noted below). It is .5 miles from campus. The second is at the Garden Grove Sports and Recreation Center.
May 22, 2026, 12:27 p.m.
Important details we have received re Garden Grove incident and evacuation: Cypress College is outside the evacuation zone and open. We are monitoring the situation. The Cypress Community Center / Oak Knoll Park is an official evacuation site. Info at https://ocsheriff.gov/resources-during-disaster.