This just in from Lisa Lapin, the Getty Trust’s vice president for communications, who this morning gave me a comprehensive report on the effect of the wildfire that had encroached on the Getty Center’s property (but not on the museum itself):
Situation improved, but still active. Fire Department estimates 48-72 hours to control and extinguish, according to their last press conference [my link, not hers].
We are going to stay closed tomorrow at both Getty Center and Getty Villa. While we are safe, we want to allow emergency responders space to operate. They are using Getty Center as a rest and staging area, and as a base to direct the air response.
Winds are expected to increase dramatically in intensity on Wednesday, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti warned during the Fire Department’s press conference, giving increased urgency to containing the flames while conditions are more favorable.
Screenshot from the press conference video
The arrow in the Los Angeles Fire Department‘s graphic, below, points to a black dot that represents the location of the Getty Center, which, as you can see, lies within the red-colored “Mandatory Evacuation Zone”:
UCLA, which you can see to the right on the above map, is not in the danger zone but has experienced drifting smoke and has canceled classes in an abundance of caution, especially for the most vulnerable.
Meanwhile, in Northern California, where other major fires are raging, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art has tweeted that it is offering free admission to its second-floor permanent collection, as “a place for reflection as we all find ways to cope with the impact of the fire and smoke.”
Yesterday, Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for all California, due to “fire weather conditions” that are “unprecedented,” having resulted in “nearly statewide red-flag warnings.”
CultureDaughter and family live in Silicon Valley, outside of the identified danger areas, but within smelling-distance of the smoke. Her mother worries…
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