The Arches Project team, based at the Getty Conservation Institute, is thankful to report that our team members’ homes and safety were not affected by the wildfires that devastated the Los Angeles area in January 2025. However, we grieve with our Getty colleagues and fellow Angelenos whose lives were turned upside down by losing their property, loved ones, or sense of stability by having to evacuate indefinitely. The recovery process for LA will be long and difficult. We are immensely grateful for the messages of concern and sympathy we received from the Arches community during this time, and we hope to answer questions about the current state of the LA area and the Getty below.
Were the Getty Center or Getty Villa affected by the fires? The Getty maintains two campuses – the Getty Center and Getty Villa – both of which house museums and are located in Los Angeles in close proximity to where the Palisades Fire burned through 23,707 acres. Thanks to the work of Getty staff, firefighters, and other local agencies, both sites and the cultural heritage within them were protected. Learn more about those efforts here:
How has cultural heritage in the LA area been affected? Many culturally significant places were destroyed and damaged by both the Palisades and Eaton fires in Los Angeles County. The nonprofit Los Angeles Conservancy is spearheading an effort to identify these places and is maintaining a list of confirmed losses on a webpage dedicated to disaster relief for LA County fires. This page also includes resources for affected homeowners and business owners as well as a call for pro-bono or discounted professional help in the rebuilding process. Architectural Resources Group, a local historic preservation and architectural services firm, is carrying out pro-bono heritage impact assessment work on behalf of the LA Conservancy.
GIS map of assessment of impacts to historic resources from the Palisades Fire, incorporating data from the City of Los Angeles HistoricPlacesLA (HPLA) Arches implementation (Credit: Architectural Resource Group)
An article in the LA Times described the ‘mass erasure’ of cultural heritage in the immediate aftermath of the fires, noting that the full impact to cultural heritage in Los Angeles County will take some time to be fully realized. Ken Bernstein, principal city planner at Los Angeles City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources, mentioned that the impact would eventually be reflected in HistoricPlacesLA, which is powered by Arches.
How can people help victims of the LA Area Fires? The outpouring of support from LA-based organizations, government agencies, grassroots movements, and individual volunteers has been incredible. However, more help is needed and if you are interested in finding out more, Mutual Aid Network – Los Angeles has compiled a resource catalog and LA County operates a new website dedicated to information sharing.
Artists and arts workers impacted by the fires can look to the LA Arts Community Fire Relief Fund, a Getty-led coalition of major arts organizations and philanthropists providing emergency relief to the arts community. Learn more about the initiative here.
