The Los Angeles Strip’s Cultural Events Gridlocked by a Fire On Thursday, Jan. 13: A Memorial to the late Will Rogers and his legacy
Rogers, who got his start doing rope tricks in vaudeville and became a hugely popular movie star, columnist, a so-called “cowboy philosopher” and a philanthropist, bought more than 300 acres of land in what is now known as Pacific Palisades and built the 31-room ranch house before dying in a plane crash. His widow, Betty, later donated the ranch to the state parks system. The ranch house was destroyed in the fire, and is now part of the Will Rogers State Historic Park.
Some trees and vegetation were burned on the site of the Getty Villa, a Greco-Roman art museum on the Pacific Coast Highway in the Pacific Palisades. Collections and staff were so far undamaged, and plans were in place to deal with fire and smoke. Both the Getty Villa and the Getty Center, which is not in the current fire zone, will remain closed until at least Monday, Jan. 13.
The West Hollywood strip known for its nightlife and restaurant scene was gridlocked Tuesday by Los Angeles residents fleeing the Palisades area. Officials told those on Sunset Boulevard to abandon their cars and walk to safety. The Los Angeles Fire Department later moved the abandoned vehicles to make way for firefighters. The section of Sunset Boulevard between San Vicente and Crescent Heights is closed.
The LA branches of the city have many cultural institutions that are renowned for everything from Hollywood nightlife to scientific research. Here’s where seven of them stand as of early Wednesday afternoon:
Red flag closures due to the Southern California hurricane fires: The studios at Universal Studios, Universal CityWalk, and the UCLA Contemporary Art Museum are closed
Red flag warnings have been put out due to hurricanes-strength winds that have resulted in many people being ordered to leave their homes in Southern California. The current fires are the Palisades fire in the Pacific Palisades, the Eaton fire, the Hurst fire in the Sylmar area, and the Tyler fire in Riverside County.
Home to the annual Coachella Music Festival, the Empire Polo Club in Indio has not reported any closures. The club is about seven miles away from the Tyler fire’s starting point.
The Warner Bros. Studio in Hollywood, which offers tours — including backlots and sets from beloved television shows — is closed Wednesday due to the fire conditions and strong winds.
Though not under mandatory evacuation, the Universal Studios theme park and the attached dining, shopping and entertainment plaza, Universal CityWalk, are closed Wednesday “as a result of the extreme winds and fire conditions,” the studios announced Wednesday morning.
The Hammer Museum at UCLA, a contemporary art museum, is also closed due to the nearby fires and severe weather warnings. However, the University of California, Los Angeles campus, where the museum is located, is still operating normally.
As of Wednesday morning, the Rose Bowl stadium is not considered at high risk of being impacted by the fires. The Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department says that the stadium is being used to house large animals.
Loss of the Pasadena Jewish Temple in Los Alamos, Calif., Inferred from the Palisades Fire
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Theater Palisades, Pierson Playhouse: Officials said on their website that “all operations” had been suspended until further notice “owing to the serious damage sustained in the Palisades Fire.” The community theater, founded in the 1960s by three television writers, burned to the ground.
A post on social media claims a local institution that has sold pet supplies and gifts for over 50 years was destroyed by the fire. I am writing this with a heavy heart. The Feed Bin was lost today, according to the post.
A popular seafood eatery in Malibu, called the Reel Inn, posted a link on social media to a report that the restaurant had been destroyed in the fire. The owners of the restaurant said in a post that they were devastated and unsure what would be left.
The center of the Pasadena Jewish Temple. The synagogue in Pasadena, which traces its roots back to the early 20th Century, was engulfed by the Eaton fire, said Melissa Levy, its executive director, though the extent of the damage was unclear.
Source: Several Local Landmarks Are Destroyed in Southern California Wildfires
The Los Angeles Unified School District (SLC) High School, Topanga Ranch Motel, Will Rogers Ranch House and Palisades Charter High School
The motel, which had grown decrepit over the years, was acquired by the state park system in 2001. The state park system said they were going to restore 20 of the cabins for public use.
Topanga Ranch Motel: A bungalow-style beachside motel that was built in 1929 by William Randolph Hearst and was used as a location in a number of films over the decades was destroyed in the fire, California state park officials said.
Will Rogers’s ranch house: The ranch house that the popular entertainer and movie star Will Rogers owned until his death in 1935 has been destroyed, according to officials with the California state park system.
Mr. Melvoin said the school was still closed for winter break, so there was no need to evacuate. He said that classrooms, bungalows, tennis courts and the baseball field had burned.
The school has appeared in movies and TV shows, including playing a role in “Teen Wolf.” Among its alumni are a number of well-known figures in the worlds of show business, sports and the arts, including the musician will.i.am, the director J.J. Abrams and the actor Forest Whitaker, according to the school’s website.
Palisades Charter High School: Flames overwhelmed the campus at the independent charter school in Pacific Palisades, according to Nick Melvoin, a trustee at the Los Angeles Unified School District.
On Wednesday morning, fire officials estimated that more than 1,000 structures had already been destroyed. The fires carved a destructive path through Pacific Palisades and Malibu, communities that have long lured people who want to live near the coast, away from the city’s hustle and bustle. The Beach Boys mention Pacific Palisades in their song “Surfin’ U.S.A.”, a song about California’s sun and surf lifestyle.