The Getty Villa museum in Pacific Palisades, California, narrowly avoided devastation as the Palisades wildfire reached its grounds on Tuesday, January 7.
According to The Guardian, despite flames burning trees and vegetation on the property, no structures were damaged, and the museum’s invaluable Greek and Roman antiquities remain safe.
The fire, driven by powerful winds, forced mass evacuations across Los Angeles County.
Katherine E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, assured the public that “staff and the collection remain safe,” crediting year-round fire mitigation efforts, including brush clearance, water storage, and advanced air-handling systems that sealed the museum’s galleries and library from smoke.
The Getty Villa, located along the Pacific Coast Highway and styled as a re-creation of a Roman country house, closed on Tuesday morning and will remain shut to visitors until at least Monday, January 13.
Footage shared online showed flames near the museum’s driveway, but these did not pose a direct threat to the Villa itself.
The Palisades Fire has damaged more than 1,000 homes and businesses. Combined with the Eaton and Hurst fires, the blazes have led to widespread devastation across LA, with approximately 180,000 people evacuated and five deaths reported.
Firefighters continue to battle the flames across multiple affected areas, including the Hollywood Hills, which was briefly evacuated but has since lifted its evacuation orders.
Source: The Guardian
