Hillside Brush Fire Prompts Evacuations Near Getty Center
No injuries have been reported, although the museum is threatened. Four structures in the area were also burned.
By Karla Rendon and Heather Navarro ••
The Skirball fire has burned over 450 acres with most of the fire burning inaccessible terrain that hasn’t burned in decades. Robert Kovacik reports for the NBC4 News on Wednesday Dec. 6 at 11 p.m.
What to Know
405 Freeway North at Getty Center reopened.
Mandatory Evacuations still in place.
Schools closed: All LAUSD Santa Monica-Malibu, Conejo Unified School District, Marymount High School, Oakwood School.
This story is no longer being updated. For the latest information on the Skirball Fire, click here.
Firefighters are battling a raging 475-acre brush fire that shut down the 405 Freeway near the world-famous Getty Center for part of Tuesday afternoon, prompting mandatory evacuations for residents and shutting down one of the busiest freeways in Los Angeles.
By 1 p.m., all lanes were reopened, but the damage to the already taxing LA commute had been done. The blaze was at 5 percent containment by Wednesday evening.
The blaze, dubbed the Skirball Fire, was reported at 4:52 a.m. Wednesday. It was accompanied by Santa Ana winds of 25 mph, which have helped spur several devastating wildfires across Southern California this week.
Four structures were destroyed, and 11 were damaged, though officials warned that that number could grow. The Getty museum is threatened and closed to the public Wednesday. The cause of the fire is unknown.
Mayor Eric Garcetti declared the Skirball Fire a local state of emergency in an afternoon news conference.
The Getty Center is a 20-year-old complex of dramatic buildings made largely out of beige travertine stone surrounding an intricate garden. It has a sweeping view of Los Angeles from the hills in the east to the sea in the west and contains American, European and Asian art.
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"Air filtration systems are protecting the galleries from smoke. We continue to monitor the situation and will issue updates as we have them," the museum tweeted.
Road Closures: All northbound lanes of the 405 near the Getty Center were reopened at 1 p.m. See a live traffic map here.
Mandatory Evacuations: All residents within the following boundaries were under mandatory evacuations: South of Mulholland Drive, east of the 405 Freeway, north of Sunset Boulevard, to west of Roscomare Road.
Residents near Mandeville Canyon and Sullivan Canyon should be ready to go. Residents from Sunset to the south and Rosomare to the east should also have a bag packed and be prepared for evacuations.
