Was the Getty Center damaged in the fire in LA today?”
Hundreds of people have been evacuated from the world-famous Getty art museum in Los Angeles as a brush fire rages in nearby mountains, officials say. The fire broke out around 1300 local time (2000 GMT) and spread to at least 80 acres (32 hectares) of hillside near the Getty Centre car park. About 200 fire-fighters are battling the blaze. No homes are threatened, California fire officials said. The museum, home to priceless works like van Gogh’s Irises, remains closed. Some 800 employees and 1,600 visitors to the hilltop complex in the Santa Monica Mountains were being shuttled away, a spokesman told the Associated Press news agency. Ventilation systems were shut down to prevent smoke damage to the museum’s priceless art collection.
The world famous Getty Center was evacuated today as a brush fire burns just miles away. Also evacuated was Mount Saint Mary’s College just to the west of the museum. Sepulveda Boulevard was closed between Wilshire Boulevard and Skirball Center Center Drive. The California Highway Patrol also blocked off Skirball Center Drive. Getty Center Drive is also blocked off. On- and off-ramps from the 405 Freeway at Skirball were also closed, along with the northbound freeway onramp from Getty Center Drive. Due to the fire access to the Chalon Campus of Mount St. Mary’s College in Brentwood is currently restricted. All non-essential personnel have been evacuated. Traffic is really slow from the 101 Freeway through the Sepulveda Pass. The San Diego (405) Freeway remained open in both directions.
he world-famous Getty Center art complex and nearby Mount St. Mary’s College were evacuated Wednesday as a fire burned in thick brush on the steep slopes of the Santa Monica Mountains. The fire erupted at 12:44 p.m. and quickly grew to 80 acres above parking facilities for the Getty, which has a collection ranging from European paintings to illuminated manuscripts and photographs, including works by Claude Monet and Vincent Van Gogh. About 350 firefighters worked on rugged slopes and seven helicopters pounded flames with repeated water drops. Some of the helicopters were able to reload from nearby Stone Canyon Reservoir. Fire Chief Douglas Barry said the fire began about three-quarters of a mile from the Getty and was moving away to the east as winds blew out of the west. The country club community of Mountaingate was notified of potential evacuations, but officials were optimistic.
