Emergency blog from The University of Washington Bothell

Stay safe during smoke and heat

Update at 10:30 a.m. Aug. 7: Air quality has improved throughout the Puget Sound. Continue to monitor conditions, especially if you may be sensitive to reduced air quality. Warm weather is expected today, with the National Weather Service issuing a heat advisory in effect until 10 p.m. tonight. Stay hydrated, Huskies, and check out tips for dealing with hot weather.

Noon Aug. 6: Expect wildfire smoke and hot weather in the Puget Sound area through Friday. 

5:30 p.m. Aug. 3: A wildfire smoke alert was issued for the Puget Sound region today through Thursday. The Air Quality Index will likely exceed thresholds for Washington state worker safety requirements and may reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups and others. 

Breathing wildfire smoke may lead to adverse health effects, especially for individuals with certain preexisting health conditions and those who are at higher risk.

In addition, outdoor temperatures are expected to exceed 80 degrees Fahrenheit this week.  

Working outdoors while exposed to heat can cause a range of heat-related illnesses, from less serious heat rash and heat cramps to more serious heat exhaustion and heat stroke. 

Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) reminds the UW community of resources and guidance to help reduce the health impacts of these events: 


The following links provide additional information and tips on staying safe: 

Posted August 3, 2026 5:46 pm

All Clear

At 8:53 a.m., Campus Safety received a report from a King County employee regarding a cylindrical object attached to the King County ballot drop box on campus. 

Bothell Police Department responded to the drop box, located near the UW Bothell Activities & Recreation Center. As a precaution, officers secured the area and evacuated the ARC building while they assessed the situation.

Following a thorough investigation, Bothell Police determined there were no safety concerns related to the object. The scene has been cleared, normal operations have resumed, and Bothell Police have left the area. The ballot box may be used to drop off ballots for the Aug. 4. Primary Election.

Thank you for your cooperation and patience during this precautionary response.

Posted August 3, 2026 10:30 am

UW Canvas service restored

Update at 10:20 a.m. Saturday: UW Canvas access has been restored to UW users following a UWIT and independent security assessment.

At this time, we have no evidence that UW NetID passwords were exposed, but out of an abundance of caution, UWIT recommends all UW Canvas users change their password. For password resets, please go to identity.uw.edu/account/resetpassword.

Access to other systems and tools typically accessed through Canvas, including Parchment, Panopto, and Jupyter Notebooks, is also being restored.

If your Canvas course uses other apps, such as Panopto or Office 365, you may be prompted to re-authorize access to each app for your account. This is expected; please authorize if prompted.

UW users have not had access to Canvas since the outage began around 1 p.m. on Thursday.

Information for students

Students, if you have questions about deadlines or assignment submissions, check directly with your classroom instructor. Please note that deadlines listed in UW Canvas are from prior to the outage, and your instructor would not have had access to UW Canvas to make any changes until 10 a.m. today.

Information for faculty, instructors and teaching assistants

Faculty, instructors and teaching assistants may wish to modify activities, assignments and exams impacted by the outage.

The following guides may be useful to faculty and instructional teams who are updating course assignments:

System security

Instructure, the Canvas provider, has completed verification of its system security in coordination with its independent forensics partner, CrowdStrike. 

On May 8, CrowdStrike reported that there is no evidence that the threat actor had system-level access, installed malware nor obtained login credentials, nor that any additional data was extracted during the renewed activity on May 7. 

Based on the investigation so far, some education-related information including names, email addresses and messages sent within the platform may have been exposed. Additional investigation into data exposure is ongoing. 

CrowdStrike has found no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, such as Social Security Numbers, or financial information were exposed. UW Canvas does not include sensitive personal information such as Social Security Numbers, home addresses, billing information or financial aid information.

We will continue to review additional information from Instructure as it becomes available and to communicate updates to the UW community.

Please be mindful of an increased risk of phishing attacks. See UWIT guidance on how to identify and respond to phishing attacks and follow cybersecurity best practices. 

Additional information

UWIT will post any future updates at the UW Canvas incident webpage and the UWIT’s Service Status website — where you can subscribe to receive email updates. Instructure has also posted information about the incident on its website.

UW Canvas access has been restored to UW users following a UWIT and independent security assessment.

At this time, we have no evidence that UW NetID passwords were exposed, but out of an abundance of caution, UWIT recommends all UW Canvas users change their password. For password resets, please go to identity.uw.edu/account/resetpassword.

Access to other systems and tools typically accessed through Canvas, including Parchment, Panopto, and Jupyter Notebooks, is also being restored.

If your Canvas course uses other apps, such as Panopto or Office 365, you may be prompted to re-authorize access to each app for your account. This is expected; please authorize if prompted.

UW users have not had access to Canvas since the outage began around 1 p.m. on Thursday.

UWIT will post any future updates at the UW Canvas incident webpage and the UWIT’s Service Status website — where you can subscribe to receive email updates. Instructure has also posted information about the incident on its website.

Posted May 9, 2026 10:07 am

Canvas outage

Update at 2:40 p.m.: UWIT is still waiting for Instructure, the Canvas provider, to complete verification of its system security. At this point, we do not have an estimate for when UW Canvas will be available again. The next update will be provided by 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 9, or sooner if information becomes available. 

Faculty members, instructors and teaching assistants who would like to contact their students via email may export a course roster, including student UW email addresses via MyUW. Please note that users cannot access UW Canvas to submit assignments, message instructors or students or access course content.

The UW Canvas outage means that several other systems are unavailable, including Parchment, Panopto, and Jupyter Notebooks. Other tools that are typically accessed through Canvas may have reduced functionality at this time.

We will post updates at the UW Canvas incident webpage and the UWIT’s Service Status website — where you can subscribe to receive email updates and the UW — as services are restored and additional information becomes available. Instructure has also posted information about the incident on its website.

Update at 12:40 p.m.: UWIT is still waiting for Instructure, the Canvas provider, to complete verification of its system security. At this point, we do not have an estimate for when UW Canvas will be available again. The next update will be provided by 3 p.m. or sooner if information becomes available.

While new logins to UW Canvas have been prevented, this step did not remove access for those already signed in. If you are signed into Canvas, sign out now until the security assessment is complete.

Faculty members, instructors and teaching assistants who would like to contact their students via email may export a course roster, including student UW email addresses via MyUW.

We will post updates at the UW Canvas incident webpage and the UWIT’s Service Status website — where you can subscribe to receive email updates and the UW — as services are restored and additional information becomes available. Instructure has also posted information about the incident on its website.

Update at 8:30 a.m. Friday: UWIT is waiting for Instructure, the Canvas provider, to complete verification of its system security. UWIT has also completed full data backups of grade files and conducted its own assessment of Canvas security.

According to Instructure, on May 7, an unauthorized actor made changes to the pages that appeared when some students and teachers were logged in. Instructure identified this unauthorized activity and took steps to contain it, including temporarily taking Canvas offline into maintenance mode as a precaution to prevent further unauthorized access. Working in coordination with its independent forensics partner, Instructure has found no evidence that the unauthorized actor maintained a connection to its system, obtained credentials for accounts within the UW institution, or extracted any additional data.

The UW Canvas outage means that several other systems are unavailable, including Parchment, Panopto, and Jupyter Notebooks. Other tools that are typically accessed through Canvas may have reduced functionality at this time.

While the UW Zoom integration in Canvas is unavailable, UW Zoom remains functional and meeting links should remain active and available.

Additionally, Instructure confirmed that the unauthorized actor carried out this activity by exploiting an issue related to its Free-For-Teacher accounts. The company stated that the entry point for the incident last week was also through the Free-For-Teacher accounts. As a result, Instructure has made the decision to temporarily shut down its Free-For-Teacher accounts.

We will post updates at the UW Canvas incident webpage and the UWIT’s Service Status website — where you can subscribe to receive email updates and the UW — as services are restored and additional information becomes available. Instructure has also posted information about the incident on its website.

Update at 8 p.m.: Canvas will remain unavailable to UW users tonight, May 7. Canvas has made the platform available to their customers as of 7:15 p.m. However, out of an abundance of caution, UWIT disabled UW login to Canvas to allow for additional security assessment. UWIT will provide an update about access restoration at 9 a.m. on Friday, May 8 unless more is known sooner. Register.UW is working and available for student class registration.

Update at 7:35 p.m.: In response to the Canvas security incident, UWIT has suspended login to UW Canvas while UWIT verifies that the platform is secure and stable. For more information on the incident and our response, please visit UWIT’s Service Status website.

Update at 4:15 p.m.: At this time, Canvas has reported to their customers that they have found no indication that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information was involved in the cybersecurity incident.

UWIT is advising students and employees to continue to watch out for phishing emails and follow cybersecurity best practices.

UW Information Technology learned today at 1 p.m. that Canvas, which is used for UW online learning, is experiencing a global outage due to an apparent security incident. Canvas is fully inaccessible to all users at this time.

Other educational technology tools, such as Panopto, Gradescope, and Poll Everywhere, will not be directly accessible through Canvas and will have limited availability at this time.

We will post updates at UWIT’s Service Status website — where you can subscribe to receive email updates — as services are restored.

Posted May 7, 2026 2:37 pm

Police responding to disturbance

Update 7:58pm: This is an ALL CLEAR. The police response to the disturbance on Beardslee Blvd has been resolved and regular activity has resumed.

Original post: Bothell police responding to disturbance in 18600 block of Beardslee Blvd, across from UW Bothell Residence Halls. There is no known threat to the campus community. Avoid the area. Updates will be provided here when possible.

Posted April 14, 2026 4:18 pm

Active threat DRILL ONLY

UPDATE, 10:05 a.m.: Thank you for participating in the active threat drill. In addition to the recommended actions earlier, you can further prepare by considering these steps, questions and resources: 

ORIGINAL POST: While incidents of active threats on campus are rare, they have a high and long-term impact. Planning on how to respond is important. 

During the drill, all students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to take five minutes to think critically about how you would respond to an incident where you are. 

Recommended actions include: 

  • Identify at least two emergency exits, including accessible pathways and the building emergency evacuation assembly area. 
  • Have a discussion about how you would “Run. Hide. Fight.” 
  • RUN: Escape if you can. Your first priority should always be to avoid a threat. If you do run take a route that minimizes the chance of encountering the threat and move quickly. 
  • HIDE: Running away may not be your best option. Find a place to hide out of view, lock and block/barricade doors if possible, close blinds, turn of lights, and silence cell phones. 
  • FIGHT: If you can’t run or hide, fight as a last resort to disrupt or stop the attacker. Be aggressive and commit to your actions. Use objects around you as makeshift weapons such as chairs, fire extinguishers, scissors, laptops, books, etc. 
  • Practice quickly silencing all electronic devices while keeping them on to receive additional emergency alerts. 
  • Consider how you would help those in need of assistance. 

Posted April 14, 2026 10:00 am

Report of federal law enforcement activity near the UW in Seattle

The University of Washington is aware of reports of a person being taken into custody in Seattle near a home north of NE 45th Street and 20th Avenue NE. Initial information indicates that the person was detained in connection with a federal warrant from out of state. The UW is still working to gather verifiable information.

At this time, our understanding is that no UW students, faculty or staff were involved. We understand that incidents such as these can be deeply upsetting and will attempt to provide accurate information as soon as possible. Please visit our Campus Community Safety website for guidance on potential federal immigration actions on campus.

Posted March 17, 2026 8:26 pm

Earthquake DRILL ONLY, 10/16 at 10:16 a.m. 

During the drill, all students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to take five minutes to think critically about how you would respond to an earthquake where you are. 

Drop, cover and hold on!  

  • Drop to your hands and knees.  
  • Cover your head and neck under a sturdy desk or table, or use your arms if no shelter is nearby.  
  • Hold on until the drill is over. 

If you’re unable to drop to the floor or don’t have access to a desk or table, still cover and hold — protect your head and neck with your arms and stay in place until the drill ends (or in the event of a real emergency, when the shaking stops).  

Do not stand in a doorway or run outside. Doorways and exits do not provide protection from falling or flying objects. 

Consider how you would help those in need of assistance. 

Accessibility considerations  

If you have mobility or accessibility needs:  

  • Lock wheelchair or walker wheels (if possible), cover your head and neck, and hold on.  
  • If you’re in bed or seated, cover your head and neck with a pillow or your arms, and remain in place until the drill is over (or in the event of a real emergency, when the shaking stops).  

Additional accessibility guidance can be found in this Accessibility Tips pdf.  

Posted October 16, 2025 10:10 am

Incident on campus

At 3:59 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 29, what began as a traffic stop on NE 195th Street continued as a police chase that ended outside the Beardslee Building parking garage. The suspect headed toward the North Creek Wetland. After a search that involved the K-9 unit and a drone, the Bothell Police Department determined at 5:46 a.m. that there is no immediate threat.

Had there been an emergency, an alert or advisory would be sent via UW Alert, which informs people about any emergency situation that poses a potential threat to their health and safety. Student, faculty and staff UW email addresses are automatically added to the UW Alert system. UW employees need to sign up to receive UW Alerts via text message.

Posted September 29, 2025 8:17 am

Active threat DRILL ONLY

UPDATE, 10:35 a.m.: Thank you for participating in the active threat drill. In addition to the recommended actions earlier, you can further prepare by considering these steps, questions and resources: 

ORIGINAL POST: While incidents of active threats on campus are rare, they have a high and long-term impact. Planning on how to respond is important.

During the drill, all students, faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to take five minutes to think critically about how you would respond to an incident where you are.

Recommended actions include:

  • Identify at least two emergency exits, including accessible pathways and the building emergency evacuation assembly area.
  • Have a discussion about how you would “Run. Hide. Fight.”
    • RUN: Escape if you can. Your first priority should always be to avoid a threat. If you do run take a route that minimizes the chance of encountering the threat and move quickly.
    • HIDE: Running away may not be your best option. Find a place to hide out of view, lock and block/barricade doors if possible, close blinds, turn of lights, and silence cell phones.
    • FIGHT: If you can’t run or hide, fight as a last resort to disrupt or stop the attacker. Be aggressive and commit to your actions. Use objects around you as makeshift weapons such as chairs, fire extinguishers, scissors, laptops, books, etc.
  • Practice quickly silencing all electronic devices while keeping them on to receive additional emergency alerts.
  • Consider how you would help those in need of assistance.

Posted May 28, 2025 10:30 am