Palisades fire burns Getty Villa grounds, but collections are said to be safe

The fast-moving Palisades fire raced through brush and trees at the iconic Getty Villa by the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, but the building and its contents did not burn, fire and Getty officials said.

The blaze never got to the collections of rare artifacts and antiquities, Katherine E. Fleming, President and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust said in a statement.

“Fortunately, Getty had made extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts throughout the year,” Fleming said. “Some trees and vegetation on site have burned, but staff and the collection remain safe.”

“Additional fire prevention measures in place at the Villa include water storage on-site,” she said. “Irrigation was immediately deployed throughout the grounds Tuesday morning. Museum galleries and library archives were sealed off from smoke by state-of-the-art air handling systems. The double-walled construction of the galleries also provides significant protection for the collections.

“We are grateful for the tireless work of the Los Angeles Fire Department, Los Angeles County Fire Department, and other agencies to keep the Villa and its staff safe, as well as for the on-site presence of fire trucks throughout the day,” she added.

The Getty will be closed until Jan. 13.