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The Palisades Fire threatened the Getty Villa. The good news: It's still standing
The Getty Villa was threatened by the Palisades Fire, but authorities said Wednesday it's still standing.
(
David Swanson
/
AFP via Getty Images
)
The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades is still standing and safe as of Wednesday morning after the Palisades Fire destroyed an estimated 1,000 structures.
Social media videos and news reports showed flames inching dangerously close to the buildings, but the museum’s staff and collection are doing well.
Harrowing video of wildfires in Pacific Palisades/Malibu— near the Getty Villa. Praying everyone stays safe — and grateful to the first responders 🔥 (Credit: Franco Dimarco & 📸: Ron Levy) pic.twitter.com/6M4O6CQggj
— Leslie Sanchez (@LeslieSanchez) January 8, 2025
The fire did scorch some trees and vegetation around the Getty Villa, according to Katherine E. Fleming, the president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust.
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Fleming reiterated in a statement that they cleared brush from the area throughout the year, used water that was stored on-site, and sealed off the gallery and library archives from smoke.
Still, the Getty Villa will remain closed at least through early next week. The Getty Center in Brentwood will be closed out of caution at least through Sunday, Jan. 12, and to help ease up traffic in the area.
“We deeply appreciate the tireless work and dedication of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other agencies, and also the small team of Getty staff who have remained on-site at the Villa supporting emergency response efforts,” Fleming said in a statement. “We again express our heartfelt concern to our neighbors in the Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and surrounding areas affected by the fires.”
The Getty Villa in Pacific Palisades remains safe and intact this morning, January 8, and will be closed at least through early next week.
— Getty (@GettyMuseum) January 8, 2025
While vegetation on the property has burned, Getty structures have been unaffected, and thankfully, both staff and collections are safe. pic.twitter.com/HQGIJaxiQz
Do you have a question about the wildfires or fire recovery?
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But the game has changed: Congress voted to eliminate funding for public media across the country. Here at LAist that means a loss of $1.7 million in our budget every year. We want to assure you that despite growing threats to free press and free speech, LAist will remain a voice you know and trust. Speaking frankly, the amount of reader support we receive will help determine how strong of a newsroom we are going forward to cover the important news in our community.
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