As wildfires grow increasingly frequent in California, UOVO Los Angeles has strengthened its approach to emergency preparedness, prioritizing client communication and safety. Hear from Miranda Burns, Associate Director of Operations at UOVO, about how our team responded to recent fires and how we can help you navigate natural disasters.
How does UOVO prepare for emergency situations like wildfires?
We take a proactive approach to emergency preparedness. While every natural disaster is different, our teams are trained to adapt quickly. Coming from Miami, where hurricane protocols are second nature, we’ve built similar systems here in Los Angeles—monitoring conditions closely, prioritizing safety, and maintaining open communication with clients. During this year’s wildfires, that meant understanding where we could operate safely and how to respond in real time as conditions changed.
How does UOVO handle challenges with logistics and road access during an active wildfire outbreak?
Access can change by the hour. Roads open and close without warning, and certain zones may become restricted by emergency services. Our transport team stays in constant communication, using live fire maps and local reports to understand where it’s safe to go. We coordinate closely with clients to prioritize what can be safely moved, often under tight timelines, and always without compromising safety. Sometimes that means meeting clients or their teams just outside restricted areas to safely transfer works. Every emergency is different, but understanding the geography, building strong communication channels, and keeping the right supplies and systems in place make all the difference. It also showed how critical teamwork is—our Los Angeles staff worked tirelessly and calmly under pressure, ensuring client needs were met while maintaining safety at every step.
How did UOVO’s team adapt operationally during the height of the wildfires?
The fires developed quickly, and our first priority was safety—both for our team and for our clients’ collections. We immediately began fielding calls from collectors and institutions looking for secure storage or relocation options. Our Los Angeles facility remained open around the clock to receive artwork, with our operations team coordinating closely with our account management team to support clients. We also ensured our staff had full PPE—respirators, Tyvek suits, goggles—so anyone working in proximity to affected areas was properly protected. With so many variables changing daily (access routes, containment zones, and client needs) we had to stay incredibly agile. Despite the stress and uncertainty, everyone understood the importance of the work and came together to protect both people and property.
What advice does UOVO give to collectors and institutions looking to prepare for wildfire season?
The best thing clients can do is plan ahead. Establish relationships with trusted art storage and logistics providers before an emergency arises. In places like Miami, we already offer pre-storm collection programs—retrieving works before hurricane season and returning them afterward—and we see similar needs during wildfire season in California. Having a plan and a storage partner in place gives our clients peace of mind that their collections can be protected quickly when conditions change.