Brush fire threatens Getty Center, echoing recent scare

A wind-nudged fire began burning just after noon Wednesday near the Getty Center off the 405 Freeway in Brentwood, but it is now under control, authorities said.

Nearly 150 firefighters descended on the fire near the museum from the ground and air, and it is now contained at three acres, said Capt. Erik Scott, a spokesman with the Los Angeles Fire Department.

The Getty Center freeway exit and the northbound lane of Sepulveda Boulevard remained closed at 1 p.m., the department said in a tweet. No injuries or structure damage were reported.

"We did this very hard and very fast," Scott said. "Fortunately, we halted the forward progress."

Responding to reports received at 12:10 p.m., firefighters found two small grass fires near Getty Center Drive. A vertical column of smoke then pushed ash and embers further west, jumping a portion of Sepulveda Boulevard on the west side of the freeway and igniting several acres of fire, Scott said.

Crews will remain on scene "for a while" and are still working to surround the blaze, Scott said.

In October 2019, a fire mowed down nearly 750 acres in the same area, destroying several homes and sending thousands living in the pricey area fleeing. Flames neared the museum, but the art remained safe.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.