Los Angeles (California). The gigantic fires that started in Los Angeles County on January 7 were still not out a week later. As of January 14, the toll was heavy. Fanned by northeast winds on very dry terrain, the fires killed twenty-four people, burned 150 square kilometers of vegetation and destroyed more than 12,000 buildings, while 92,000 people were ordered to evacuate.
It was especially the houses located in the hills (mainly in the Pacific Palisades and Eaton neighborhoods) surrounding Los Angeles, where the fires spread, which suffered, and among them the villas of celebrities or wealthy people (Mel Gibson , Billy Crystal). Some of these homes are historic, such as the ranch of actor Will Rogers (1879-1935), built in the 1920s. Script Hall (Pasadena Waldorf School), an Arts and Crafts style house from the early 20th century, was ravaged by fire. In total, 35 heritage properties were destroyed according to the LA Conservancy association. The inventory of destroyed movable property and in particular works of art will take time, but it seems that in this case the disaster mainly concerns the private collections and the studios of artists who reside in LA, including Diana Thater , Paul McCarthy, Alec Egan, Beatriz Cortez.
The fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, January 8, 2025.
Getty Villa and Getty Center spared
Most of the museums are located in the Los Angeles plain and thus escaped the flames: the Lacma, the contemporary art museums The Broad and MoCA… All these museums are open and for some are temporarily free in order to offer a moment relaxation for residents. If there was once fear that the hill where the famous letters that form the name “Hollywood” are located would be reached, this is not the case. The Academy of Oscars postponed the announcement of the nominations until January 23, but the ceremony is still scheduled for March 2.

Fire threatens the Getty Villa located in the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles.
© CarvinUpLife / TikTok
The Getty Villa and the Getty Center, which are located on the edge of the main fire (Palisades Fire), owe their salvation to the protections anticipated by the architect: fire-fighting stone facings and a smoke evacuation system for the Getty Center, preventative watering systems for both sites.
Donald Trump was quick to criticize the management of California Governor Gavin Newsom (Democrat). The rapid spread of the flames is partly due to the insufficient water made available to firefighters. Initial reports show damages estimated at $150 billion (nearly €147 billion), which would make it the worst fire in California’s history. Hurricane Helene, which devastated parts of Florida and Carolina last September, cost $250 billion according to the AccuWeather company (Associated Press).