Early Mondy morning the Getty fire near Los Angeles began burning homes in Brentwood and burning up to the edge of the 405, one of southern California’s biggest freeways. Because of high winds, as many as 10,000 structures are under threat:
A brush fire fanned by Santa Ana winds erupted in the hills above the 405 Freeway early Monday, burning homes and forcing evacuations in neighborhoods on Los Angeles’ Westside…
The fire is burning in densely populated hillside areas with narrow roads, threating about 10,000 residential and business structures. Embers were scattered by wind gusts, which were not expected to decrease until later Monday morning…
Residents as far west as Malibu were warned to be prepared for evacuations. Mandatory evacuation zones were extending from the 405 Freeway to the west early Monday…
“Be calm, but get out,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said.
This LA Times map shows the area that is under a mandatory evacuation because of the fire:
Mandatory evacuation zones have been expanded for those close to the #GettyFire.https://t.co/i5Zb2i4CRo pic.twitter.com/TcS87dD9ot
— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) October 28, 2019
The area in red includes Brentwood and Pacific Palisades. Both areas are home to a lot of successful people in the movie business. One very famous resident announced he had evacuated safely:
We evacuated safely at 3:30 this morning. If you are in an evacuation zone, don’t screw around. Get out. Right now I am grateful for the best firefighters in the world, the true action heroes who charge into the danger to protect their fellow Californians. #GettyFire
— Arnold (@Schwarzenegger) October 28, 2019
LeBron James also had to evacuate:
Man these LA 🔥 aren’t no joke. Had to emergency evacuate my house and I’ve been driving around with my family trying to get rooms. No luck so far! 🤦🏾♂️
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 28, 2019
Finally found a place to accommodate us! Crazy night man!
— LeBron James (@KingJames) October 28, 2019
Here’s what people driving late at night on the freeway saw:
Huge brush fire raging off the 405 freeway at Getty Center Dr. #GettyFire pic.twitter.com/S9qth2l54J
— Michael J. Duarte (@michaeljduarte) October 28, 2019
Here’s the same freeway around sunrise:
The #GettyFire is now moving down the hillside towards the 405 Fwy. I’m all the way on the northbound side, and I can feel the heat from the flames! @CBSLA pic.twitter.com/02bE4VcWNo
— Tina Patel (@tina_patel) October 28, 2019
The flames reached homes in Brentwood:
Horrible situation on #tigertail right now in #Brentwood – have counted 6 homes on fire and there’s likely more. The #GettyFire continued to burn out of control in the hills of Brentwood. Stay with @ABC7 for live coverage pic.twitter.com/u8IZM9eN1c
— Josh Haskell (@abc7JoshHaskell) October 28, 2019
Here’s a before and after on that street:
Before/After the Getty Fire.
This is 1510 Tigertail Road.
My condolences for the family who lives here.
Courtesy for top photo:Google Maps#GettyFire pic.twitter.com/CtWhGX0Nfa
— Rob Hayes (@abc7robhayes) October 28, 2019
Planes are dropping fire retardant to attempt to limit the expansion of the fire:
👏🏽👏🏽 We just saw this attack from the air. Firefighters are trying to make a line with the red phos-chek to stop the forward progress of the #GettyFire as the DC-10 drops up to 12,000 gallons of fire retardant 🎥 Raymond Ford @NoozhawkNews @KTLA pic.twitter.com/ukQe35lz3I
— Christina Pascucci (@ChristinaKTLA) October 28, 2019
The Getty Center museum for which the area is named has not been damaged by the fire:
Photos of Getty, 8am PT. #GettyCenter and #GettyVilla remain safe from #GettyFire to the north.
Many have asked about the art—it is protected by state-of-the-art technology. The safest place for the art and library collections is inside.
Thank you to @LAFD for ongoing response. pic.twitter.com/6Qa4youAhW
— J. Paul Getty Museum (@GettyMuseum) October 28, 2019
So far there are no reports of anyone being killed by this fire but at least 8 homes have been destroyed. If winds die down as expected this afternoon that should help firefighters contain the spread. I’ll update this post if there are any significant developments later today. For now, here’s a video put together by the LA Times: