Palisades hearth burns Getty Villa grounds, however collections are stated to be protected

The fast-moving Palisades hearth raced via brush and bushes on the iconic Getty Villa by the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, however the constructing and its contents didn’t burn, hearth and Getty officers stated.

The blaze by no means bought to the collections of uncommon artifacts and antiquities, Katherine E. Fleming, President and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Belief stated in a press release.

“Fortunately, Getty had made extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts throughout the year,” Fleming stated. “Some trees and vegetation on site have burned, but staff and the collection remain safe.”

“Additional fire prevention measures in place at the Villa include water storage on-site,” she stated. “Irrigation was immediately deployed throughout the grounds Tuesday morning. Museum galleries and library archives were sealed off from smoke by state-of-the-art air handling systems. The double-walled construction of the galleries also provides significant protection for the collections.

Also see: Homes burning as 2,920-acre wildfire spreads in Pacific Palisades amid strong windstorm

“We are grateful for the tireless work of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other agencies to keep the Villa and its staff safe, as well as for the on-site presence of fire trucks throughout the day,” she added.

The Getty will likely be closed till Jan. 13.

The Palisades hearth burns close to the Villa de Leon in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday, January 7, 2024. The mansion affords views of the Pacific Coast Freeway and the Pacific Ocean, and it’s situated close to the Getty Villa. (Photograph by Hans Gutknecht, Los Angeles Day by day Information/SCNG) 

Initially Printed: January 8, 2025 at 4:14 AM PST