Getty Center closes, evacuation warnings issued as brush fire breaks out in Los Angeles' Sepulveda Pass
Los Angeles firefighters battled a brush fire near the Getty Center in Brentwood on Wednesday afternoon.
The blaze, dubbed the Getty Fire by crews, was reported just after 4:15 p.m. in the hills above southbound lanes of the 405 Freeway, according to Los Angeles Fire Department officials.
Aerial footage showed flames burning through the dense vegetation in the hills above the iconic museum complex. More footage showed the dense smoke heading over the Sepulveda Pass and into the San Fernando Valley as multiple water-dropping aircraft dropped water on the flames from above.
At around 4:45 p.m., Getty Center officials said that they were closing the museum and asking visitors to leave through the parking garage.
Firefighters said that forward progress of the flames had been stopped by 6:30 p.m. after burning approximately 25 acres. The cause of the fire was still unknown.
No injuries have been reported, and firefighters said that homes were never threatened by flames, despite issuing evacuation warnings as a precaution.
As the fire continued to burn at around 5:30 p.m., Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass shared a statement noting that Los Angeles police were prepared to assist LAFD if necessary.
"Anyone in the area should prepare to evacuate should conditions worsen. Please stay vigilant and follow all instructions from first responders," Bass' statement said.
Evacuation warnings issued
Evacuation warnings were in place for residents living in zones LFD-0895 and LFD-0967. Residents were asked to be ready to evacuate at a moment's notice if conditions were to worsen.
The evacuation warning zones included Mount St. Mary's College Chalon Campus and the neighborhood south of the Getty Center.
Firefighters face tough conditions
Weather conditions in the area on Wednesday were extremely hot and much more humid than typical for Los Angeles County, most of which was under a Heat Advisory. Wednesday's peak saw 100 degrees in the Brentwood area with humidity nearing 15%.
This is a developing story. Check back for details.
