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Getty Fire. October 28, 2019
LOS ANGELES - A fire erupted early Monday morning to the west of the 405 Freeway near Getty Center Drive, prompting mandatory evacuation orders, Los Angeles city firefighters said.
The fire has burned approximately 618 acres and was 5% contained by Monday evening. The cause of the fire remains under investifation.
REPOPULATION
• Repopulation has begun for the community of Mountaingate. Residents will be permitted to enter the area with valid ID. The Mountaingate community will remain under voluntary evacuation.
MANDATORY EVACUATIONS
• Temescal Canyon Road is the West border
• Sunset Boulevard remains the South Border
• Mulholland Drive remains the North border
• 405 Freeway remains the East border
EVACUATION WARNING
• Topanga Canyon is the West border
• Sunset Boulevard is the South border
• Mulholland Drive is the North border
• Temescal Canyon Road is the East border
EVACUATION CENTERS
• Westwood Recreation Center (1350 South Sepulveda) - Now a shelter
• Van Nuys / Sherman Oaks Recreation Center (14201 Huston St) - Open until 8 p.m.
• Stoner Recreation Center (1835 Stoner) - Open until 8 p.m.
• Palisades Recreation Center (851 Alma Real Dr) - Now a shelter
• Cheviot Hills Recreation Center (2551 Motor Ave) - Open until 8 p.m.
For Animals:
• West Valley Animal Shelter (20655 Plummer St)
• West LA Animal Shelter (11361 W Pico Bl)
• Hansen Dam (11770 Foothill Blvd) is also now open to receive large animals
For additional information, visit https://www.lafd.org/news/getty-fire.
ROAD CLOSURES
The southbound 405 Freeway reopened at about 6:04 p.m. Monday. The southbound 405 off-ramps between the 101 Freeway and Sunset Boulevard will remain closed until further notice.
That stretch of the 405 was closed around 8:15 a.m. Monday, according to the California Highway Patrol.
Just before 9 a.m., the CHP closed the Pacific Coast Highway at Temescal Cyn Rd. traffic was being diverted north on Temescal. It reopened just before 11 a.m.
SCHOOL CLOSURES
Several Los Angeles area schools were closed Monday due to the wildfire that erupted in the overnight hours near the Getty Center. All schools closed Monday will also be closed on Tuesday. Click here for a full list.
POWER OUTAGES
At 5 a.m, at least 2,600 LADWP customers were without power due to the Getty Fire. By 7:15 a.m., that number decreased to 900 customers. The outage was impacting residents in the Bel Air, Westwood and Brentwood neighborhoods.
"Our water and power crews are in the area ensuring adequate water supply and firefighter support and safety near power lines," LADWP said in a tweet.
Southern California Edison (SCE) initiated a "Public Safety Power Shutoffs" (PSPS) around 8:30 a.m., cutting power to more than 15,000 customers in Fresno, Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Ventura Counties. They are also considering shutting off power to more than 350,000 customers as a precaution due to the high winds. PSPS's occur when forecasts indicate elevated weather conditions. Power companies assess the impact to affected areas, analyze historical data to help predict the likelihood of a wildfire occurring, and closely monitor weather watch alerts from NWS prior to shutting off the power.
More than 500 firefighters were battling flames that broke out near the 405 Freeway through the Santa Monica Mountains in Los Angeles, officials said. (Photo credit: FOX 11 Los Angeles)
For additional information, visit https://www.lafd.org/news/getty-fire.
CANCELED/AFFECTED EVENTS
• The Music Guild has canceled its concert tonight at the University Synagogue due to the fire. Ticket holders will be notified of a new date. Ticket holders are also invited to attend either of the Music Guild's concerts in Long Beach or Valley Village scheduled for this week.
• Reading for "The Merchant of Venice" featuring Al Pacino and Geoffrey Rush has been relocated from American Jewish University to the Walt Disney Concert Hall located at 111 S. Grand Avenue in downtown L.A. The event is a benefit for the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles.
MORE FIRE INFORMATION
Fire officials described the inferno as "very dynamic, moving in a westward direction driven by high winds." The National Weather Service said that winds of up to 66 mph were reported in the area.
LAFD officials said that at least eight homes were destroyed and five homes were damaged. More than 10,000 structures were threatened, fire officials said.
No injuries have been reported.
Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti signed an emergency declaration in the county just before 7 a.m. in order to provide additional resources to support firefighters and first responders battling the blaze.
Additionally, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced from a press conference in Sacramento Monday afternoon that the state has secured a Fire Management Assistance Grant from the Federal Emergency Management Agency to help ensure the availability of resources to fight the Getty Fire.
Newsom also declared a statewide emergency due to the dangerous weather conditions, which have resulted in fires and evacuations across the state.
While the cause of the fire remained under investigation, during a press conference Monday afternoon, Garcetti said that there was an active arson investigation, adding that the fire was not the result of a homeless encampment or any activity by homeless people in the area.
LAFD Chief Ralph Terrazas confirmed that crews have identified the fire's point of origin just off the 405 Freeway near Sepulveda Boulevard.
The fire was first reported by a witness who called 911 at 1:32 a.m. Monday stating that a fire started on the hillside close to the freeway with a possible power line on fire, authorities said during a Monday morning press conference.
At around 2:45 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department sent L.A. residents messages on their cell phones. It said: "Emergency Alert. Prepare to evacuate due to fire near the Getty going W. More info: lafd.org/alerts.'' A subsequent message included orders to actually evacuate.
Related: LeBron James among evacuees after ‘very dynamic’ wildfire erupts near Getty Center in Los Angeles
"This is a very dynamic situation due to high winds and information is quickly developing. Stay vigilant,'' LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart wrote on Twitter.
The nearby Getty Center, a 110-acre campus of the Getty Museum and other programs of the Getty Trust which houses artwork from the middle ages to the 20th century, was not impacted by the fire. Officials said on Twitter that the center “remains safe” with the fire to the north and west of the campus.
Images from FOX 11 reporters showed several homes burned along the path of the fire. A majority of the homes that were damaged or destroyed were on Tigertrail Road in Brentwood.
Authorities said they believed that the fire would be burning for a few days before it would be contained.
For additional information, visit https://www.lafd.org/news/getty-fire.
CNS contributed to this report. Developing story. Refresh for updates.