Southern California is currently facing multiple devastating wildfires, fueled by powerful winds that have prompted red flag warnings and evacuation orders in various areas. Among the ongoing blazes are the Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades, the Eaton fire, the Hurst fire in Sylmar, and the Tyler fire in Riverside County.
Notable landmarks in the region are providing updates on their status as the situation develops:
– **Sunset Boulevard**: The iconic West Hollywood strip experienced severe traffic congestion as residents evacuated from the Palisades area. Authorities advised evacuees to leave their vehicles behind and seek safety by foot. Firefighters later moved the abandoned cars to facilitate their operations. As of now, the section of Sunset Boulevard between San Vicente and Crescent Heights remains closed.
– **The Getty Villa and Getty Center**: The Getty Villa, which houses Greco-Roman art, suffered some damage to its trees and vegetation. However, staff and collections remain safe thanks to implemented fire and smoke mitigation strategies. Both the Getty Villa and the Getty Center will stay closed until January 13.
– **Will Rogers State Historic Park**: The park, once owned by actor Will Rogers, is currently closed due to the fire’s effects.
– **Jet Propulsion Laboratory**: NASA’s research center for space exploration is under evacuation orders owing to the Eaton fire.
– **Universal Studios and CityWalk**: Although not under mandatory evacuation, both the theme park and its adjacent shopping and dining area are closed due to perilous wind and fire conditions.
– **Hammer Museum at UCLA**: This contemporary art museum is shut until further notice because of the fires and severe weather. However, UCLA’s campus continues to operate normally.
– **The Rose Bowl**: As of Wednesday, the Rose Bowl stadium in Pasadena is not deemed high-risk for fire impact. The venue has been designated as a large animal evacuation center by the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department.
– **Warner Bros. Studio**: The Hollywood studio, known for its popular tours, has also closed its doors for the day due to hazardous fire conditions and gusty winds.
– **Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens**: The zoo, located in Griffith Park, remains closed following a precautionary measure taken Tuesday.
– **Griffith Observatory**: This famous observatory and planetarium is closed Wednesday due to unsafe weather conditions.
One bit of positivity in this challenging situation is the proactive measures taken by local landmarks to ensure the safety of their visitors and staff. Resources for staying safe, including apps for wildfire alerts and guides for navigating high wind situations, are becoming increasingly vital in these stressful conditions. The California Newsroom is diligently tracking the evolving weather developments across the region, and residents are encouraged to remain vigilant and informed.