Speaking at a press conference in Pacific Palisades this afternoon, California Governor Gavin Newsom said he found “nothing – many structures have already been destroyed” and he called on President Joe Biden to release fire management assistance grants. Gave thanks.
“No politics, no handshakes, no foot kissing,” Newsom said. The Democratic governor was scheduled to speak with Biden this afternoon at an event that was rescheduled due to inclement weather. “My message to the incoming administration, and I’m not here to play any politics, please don’t play any politics.”
Newsom urged residents to heed evacuation orders: “By no means are we out of the woods.”
About 15,000 utility customers in Southern California have had their power shut off to reduce the risk of sparking fires from appliances. The Associated Press reported Tuesday evening that a total of half a million customers were at risk of losing power.
A few minutes after J. The Paul Getty Trust issues a statement on the Palisades fire and efforts to save the Getty Villa from wildfire An unidentified official said on LAFD radio that the Getty Villa museum was “catching fire”, Los Angeles Times reports, At this time, it is unclear whether any structures are on fire, but officials confirmed that a fire broke out on the grounds and that flames were moving toward the museum buildings.
The Getty Villa, located in Pacific Palisades, displays a collection of Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art. Its better-known sibling, the Getty Center, is located in Brentwood and contains an extensive collection of European and North American art.
A spokesperson for the Getty Villa confirmed the Trust’s earlier statement to The Guardian, saying that “there is no fire in any of the structures at present”.
Universal Pictures and Amazon MGM Studios canceled two movie premieres scheduled for Tuesday evening in Los Angeles after the city declared a state of emergency due to high winds and the Palisades fire.
The Wolf Man was to premiere at the TCL Chinese Theater and Unstoppable was to premiere at the DGA Theatre.
Over 13,000 structures The Palisades fire is at risk, according to LA Fire Department Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, with Getty Villa Being one of them. In a statement released this afternoon, Kathryn E. Fleming, president and CEO of the J. Paul Getty Trust, said the museum is closed to non-emergency staff and will remain closed until at least January 13.
“Fortunately, Getty had made extensive efforts to remove brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire suppression efforts throughout the year. Some trees and vegetation on the site have been burnt, but the staff and collections are safe,” she said. “Additional fire safety measures at the villas include storage of water on site. Irrigation was immediately deployed in the entire field on Tuesday morning. The museum galleries and library archives were smoke sealed by state-of-the-art air handling systems. The double-walled construction of the galleries also provides important protection for the collections.
The city of Los Angeles has declared a state of emergency for the “wind event,” City Council President Marques Harris-Dawson announced during a news conference Tuesday afternoon.
“We want everyone to know that the city is well prepared and has tremendous emergency management infrastructure,” Harris-Dawson said. “If you can stay off our roads, please allow emergency vehicles to get through the city.”
Photos of the Palisades fire are beginning to circulate, showing the destruction of homes and black smoke rising into the sky.
As the Palisades fire reached California’s Malibu coast Tuesday afternoon Department of forestry and Fire Safety (Calories)Fire) announced Road closures and evacuation shelters.
An evacuation center has been set up at the Westwood Recreation Center on South Sepulveda Boulevard. Meanwhile, southbound Pacific Coast Highway is closed at Las Flores Canyon Road, Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Coastline Drive.
The Palisades Fire, which broke out about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, has engulfed more than 1,200 acres and destroyed many homes in an affluent community along the Pacific Ocean.
Nearly 30,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate and more than 13,000 structures are at risk, said L.A. Fire Department Fire Chief Kristin Crowley.
Actor Eugene Levy, honorary mayor of Pacific Palisades, which was forced to evacuate, told the Los Angeles Times While stuck in traffic: “The smoke looked quite black and intense.” A woman among the other evacuees described a harrowing escape Recount at ABC7 How she abandoned her vehicle and ran away with her cat in her arms: “I’m being hit with burning palm fronds… It’s horrible. It feels like a horror movie. “I’m screaming and crying as I walk down the street.”
The Los Angeles school district was also forced to transfer students from three campuses, and Joe Biden had to do the same cancel plans For an event declaring two national monuments.
lois beckett
By mid-afternoon, shoppers were still flocking as usual to a luxury outdoor mall in Century City, about 12 miles east of Pacific Palisades. But outside the mall, a plume of smoke was visible towards the west and the distant view was becoming blurry.
lois beckett
I’m driving east across Los Angeles and near Beverly Hills at the moment. In front of me, looking out towards the city, the view is very clear and sunny, although the palm trees lining the streets are swaying dramatically in the wind. But behind me, in my rearview mirror, I can see plumes of smoke from the Pacific Palisades fire to the west. Recent readings of air quality in Los Angeles were in the healthy range, but I expect the air quality to deteriorate rapidly as smoke spreads across the city.
As wildfires raged near Los Angeles on Tuesday, we’re bringing you this live blog with the latest news from the fires caused by the “deadly” storms that swept through Southern California this week. The region is expected to experience its strongest winds in more than a decade, creating extreme fire danger in areas that have been deprived of significant rainfall for months.
A large portion of Southern California, home to millions of people, is at what officials have described as “extreme risk” from a devastating storm. The weather service warned of downed trees and the collapse of big rigs, trailers and motorhomes, and advised residents to stay indoors and away from windows. Powerful offshore gusts will also bring dangerous conditions to the coasts of Orange County and LA, including Catalina Island, and could potentially cause delays and turbulence at local airports.