Getty Fire
Smoke from the Getty Fire seen from Santa Monica, California
LocationBrentwood, Los Angeles, California
Coordinates34°05′50″N 118°28′49″W / 34.0972°N 118.4803°W / 34.0972; -118.4803
Statistics
Date(s)October 28, 2019 (2019-10-28) – November 5, 2019 (2019-11-05)[1]
Burned area745 acres (301 ha)
Buildings destroyed10
Deaths0
Non-fatal injuries5
Map
Getty Fire is located in southern California
Getty Fire
Location in Southern California
🌍
Location of Getty Fire

The Getty Fire was a 2019 wildfire that burned 745 acres (301 ha) in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. The fire was first reported on October 28, 2019 and was contained on November 5, 2019.[1] Thousands of people were forced to flee,[2] 10 homes were destroyed and 15 residences were damaged.[1]

Fire

The fire is believed to have started around 1:30 a.m. along the 405 at Getty Center Drive. A tree branch broke and landed in nearby power lines, causing them to spark and arc - igniting nearby brush.[3]

More than 1,000 firefighters along with Aerial firefighting fixed-wing aircraft and helicopters battled the blaze in steep and challenging terrain. Spurred on by 50+ mph Santa Ana winds, flames quickly licked brush along the Interstate 405 Freeway, triggering closure of all southbound lanes, and moved west into the canyons. The Getty Center — which was built to withstand fires and where firefighters were stationed to assist with logistics for helicopter operations — was never threatened.[4]

Impact

The borders of the mandatory evacuation zone were: Temescal Canyon Road on the west, Sunset Boulevard on the south, Mulholland Drive on the north and I-405 on the east.[5] By Oct. 30 some residents were allowed to return home, but evacuation orders remained in effect for those between Kenter Canyon, the 405 and Mountaingate Avenue until Nov. 2.[6] The UCLA campus, which is located about 2 miles from the fire, cancelled classes for 45,000 students, and some twenty elementary and secondary schools closed as well.[7]

Mayor Eric Garcetti speaks with Governor Gavin Newsom and fire crews at the Getty Fire.

A power outage due to the blaze left roughly 900 customers without power in Bel Air, Brentwood and Westwood. Southern California Edison preemptively turned off power for nearly 16,000 customers shortly after the blaze broke out.[8]

The LA Times cast light on the communication gaps that arise amid the confusion of such an evacuation in columnist Frank Shyong's piece, "Why Did No one warn the housekeepers about the Getty Fire?" He observed gardeners, housekeepers and other domestic workers reporting for work during the fire and questioned the efforts at communication from both the employers and city. [9]

Fire growth and containment progress

Fire containment status[1]
Gray: contained; Red: active; %: percent contained;
DateArea burned acres (km2)Containment
Oct 28500 acres (2.02 km2)
0%
Oct 29656 acres (2.65 km2)
15%
Oct 30745 acres (3.01 km2)
27%
Oct 31745 acres (3.01 km2)
52%
Nov 1745 acres (3.01 km2)
74%
Nov 2745 acres (3.01 km2)
79%
Nov 5 745 acres (3.01 km2)
100%

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "Getty Fire". Los Angeles Fire Department. Retrieved 1 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Shapiro, Emily (2019-10-28). "Thousands Forced to Flee as Getty Fire Threatens Los Angeles". ABC News.
  3. ↑ "Getty Fire". Los Angeles Fire Department. 2019-11-05. Retrieved 2020-05-18.
  4. ↑ "Getty Fire evacuation orders lifted as winds relax, containment at 66 percent". Curbed - Los Angeles. 2019-11-01. Retrieved May 18, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Getty Fire Map: Road, school closures continue as mandatory evacuations ordered near museum". ABC 7. October 30, 2019.
  6. ↑ Stimson, Brie (2019-10-31). "Most Getty Fire mandatory evacuations lifted in Los Angeles, officials say". Fox News. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
  7. ↑ John Bacon; Chris Woodyard (October 29, 2019). "New wildfire sends more fleeing: Thousands in California ordered to leave homes". USA Today. p. 3A.
  8. ↑ "Getty Fire Map: Road, school closures continue as mandatory evacuations ordered near museum". ABC 7. October 30, 2019.
  9. ↑ "Column: Why did no one warn the housekeepers about the Getty fire?". Los Angeles Times. 2019-11-04. Retrieved 2019-11-04.
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