What miracle saved America's Getty Museum from a terrible wildfire?

(CLO) The fact that the Getty Museum in Los Angeles, which houses valuable works of art in Los Angeles, has remained standing is considered a "miracle" because it is located in the area of the most severe wildfire since January 7th.

On January 7th (local time), wildfires broke out in three areas of southern California: Pacific Palisades, Eaton, and Hurst, forcing more than 100,000 people to evacuate. The fires destroyed numerous mansions belonging to Hollywood stars, including homes they had lived in for decades.

What magic saved the getty museum from the fire? — The Getty Villa art museum in Los Angeles was undamaged in the Los Angeles wildfires. Photo: AFP

American media outlets have described this as the most serious fire in Los Angeles history. As of January 12th, at least 24 people had died and more than 10,000 structures had been destroyed.

However, the Getty Museum, home to some of Los Angeles' most valuable works of art, remained standing with only minor damage, despite being directly in the path of the fire.

The museum comprises two buildings, the Getty Center and Getty Villa, located approximately 16 kilometers apart, and houses valuable artifacts from Los Angeles. Both are situated in California, the site of a devastating wildfire that has been raging since January 7th.

Getty Villa is located in the Pacific Palisades, one of the hardest-hit areas, while the other property is in Brentwood, an area threatened by wildfires, and was ordered evacuated last Friday.

"We are deeply grateful for the tireless efforts and dedication of the Los Angeles Fire Department and other agencies," a museum representative shared.

Speaking to USA Today, Katherine E. Fleming, President and CEO of Getty Trust, said that firefighters used a state-of-the-art air handling system to protect the building.

Furthermore, the place is designed with double-walled galleries, which helps protect the precious artworks inside.

However, it's not just the expensive architecture and advanced fire-fighting technology that's impressive; museum staff also regularly clear the surrounding bushes throughout the year to reduce the risk of wildfires.

This isn't the first time the museum has survived a fire. According to the Independent, in a 2019 article, museum officials claimed it was "the safest place for artwork in the event of a fire," after a fire that year destroyed more than 200 hectares to the north and west of the building.

Initial data from Cal Fire shows the Palisades Fire is the worst fire ever to hit Los Angeles.

Vegetation in Southern California had flourished due to more-than-normal rainfall over the past two winters, only to wither during the recent months-long drought. The dry grass quickly caught fire, causing the blazes to spread rapidly.

From the story of the Getty Museum of Art, Business Insider offers some tips to reduce the risk of wildfires.

Cities, fire departments, and residents can clean up dry grass around residential areas.

Homeowners can protect their property by clearing away any flammable materials within a 1.5-meter radius of their home, removing combustible items such as plants and furniture. Keeping gutters and roofs clean can also prevent small fires from spreading.

The Getty Center opened in 1997 after approximately 14 years of construction at a cost of $1.3 billion. The building is earthquake and fire resistant, and is considered a "wonder of fire-fighting engineering." While the villa serves as a repository for artifacts, this building houses over 125,000 works of art and 1.4 million documents spanning from the medieval to the modern era. Some notable exhibits include Van Gogh's *Irises*, Édouard Manet's *Spring*, and Rembrandt's *An Old Man in Military Costume*.

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/phep-mau-nao-cuu-bao-tang-getty-cua-my-khoi-chay-rung-khung-khiep-post330255.html