Here, two Getty security officers monitor operations as a helicopter drops water onto a hill north of the Getty Center. This just in from Lisa Lapin, the Getty Trust’s vice president for communications, who this morning gave me a comprehensive report on the effect of the wildfire that had encroached on the Getty Center’s property (but not on the museum itself):. To protect artworks, and any people trapped in the museum, from smoke damage, the Getty Center has specially designed air systems that recirculate and clean air from inside the building so that outside air is not needed. On-site is also a 1 million-gallon water tank that sits underground, below the museum's parking lot. Both of our Getty Museums are such an important and influential part of educating our future leaders. Praying for the safety of all California residents, firefighters, and wildlife, involved in this horrific situation. Photo: Christopher Sprinkle, October 29, 2019: An active day of priorities for the Getty’s grounds and gardens staff, who are assisting in keeping the site safe during the Getty Fire. Janet Wilson is an environmental reporter with the Desert Sun. Fire-resistant landscaping spans the Getty campus and the surrounding land. Sitting in the Santa Monica Mountains, the Getty Center is no stranger to wildfires in its proximity. Well-irrigated plantings in the Central Garden, including an expansive lawn, provide an effective fire deterrent. Heavy, double doors locked in place, hermetically sealing every gallery—including a current exhibition of irreplaceable Manet paintings—and archive zone. “The Getty is an Ark for royalty and art,” Kelley explains. Wildfires in California and other western states are getting worse every year, but is climate change all to blame? Procedures were immediately put into place to make sure there was adequate staffing and on-site preparation. The campus was built with architectural and mechanical fire protection systems as well as landscape design and vegetation management to prevent fires from threatening the facility. All buildings at the Getty Center remain safe in the face of the Getty Fire. Watering systems are continually adjusted based on conditions on the ground. The Getty is the place to be! The Getty is home to one of the world’s largest art libraries, and the same level of protection extends to the library as well as the museum’s archive. Roads around both sites are also reopened, so travel to and from is safe and convenient. Were there plans to evacuate the collection? There is always a worry, I would say. The Getty’s architect, Richard Meier, built fire resistance into the billion-dollar complex, said Ron Hartwig, vice president of communications for the J. Paul Getty Trust. Multiple Getty teams actively assist with fire preparation and response, both during incidents and year-round. His design included safeguards for both earthquakes and fires. Complex engineering systems protect art in the Getty Center galleries from smoke and fire. But the museum, home to 1,000-year-old manuscripts, multimillion-dollar paintings and the world's largest art library, has no plans to evacuate its treasures. The ground underneath is also cleared regularly. https://www.vcstar.com/.../getty-fire-museum-protection-status/2487619001 The Getty's air-conditioning system can push smoke out instead of letting it in. On Monday, an even larger fire that bears the museum's name—the Getty Fire—was burning near its campus and forced thousands to evacuate the area. At the fire’s height more than 1,100 firefighters from throughout the region were on the scene of the Getty Fire, ... and grounds are managed for fire protection with continual tree pruning. Fire sprinklers are also plentifully available, but are kept completely dry to avoid accidental water intrusion—and are activated only as a last resort. To guard against smoke that could harm people and damage art, a carbon-filtered air conditioning system maintains a pressure flow—which can be increased as needed—that pressurizes the building to keep smoke and ash out. Hope you are able to visit! Staying tuned for a future visit. Are they coated with some type of stone sealer? According to J. Andrew Wilson, who headed the fire protection and safety programme at the Smithsonian Institution until 2011 and now advises various cultural organisations, ‘There’s still a lot of ignorance among museum staff, many of whom don’t recognise fire hazards or believe that it won’t happen to them.’ A Los Angeles museum built to protect fine art from flames is now housing firefighters battling the Getty Fire. FILE PHOTO: The Getty Fire burns near the Getty Center along the 405 freeway north of Los Angeles, California, U.S. October 28, 2019. “If there’s a fire in the building, we have ways to manage smoke so people can evacuate safely, and firefighters can get in and deal with it quickly,” Rogers explains. Was worried about you. Sprinklers and the protection explained at the center are no match to the horrors of nature. Indoor and outdoor sprinklers, flame-proof materials, and more help the Los Angeles-based Getty Museum resist Southern California’s regular fires. That's because its … This includes drought-resistant plants and oak trees, whose canopies are regularly pruned to prevent them from becoming fuel for fire. Hi Dora, The Getty Center and Getty Villa both reopened on Saturday, November 2. The Getty Center and Getty Villa in Los Angeles will reopen on Saturday, November 2, after closing to the public earlier this week as a result of the Getty Fire burning nearby. "They're real heroes. This chapter does not address fire prevention, protection and suppression in laboratories and exhibit preparation areas. Photo: Christopher Sprinkle, Sprinklers around Getty Center’s hillsides form an above-ground watering system. The Getty’s Central Garden is the most-watered landscaping on the site and is surrounded by grass and an irrigation system that can be employed to create a buffer against a fire. Officials at the Getty said the fire was burning north of the building, which was designed with thick stone walls to protect its world-renowned art treasures. Photo: Christopher Sprinkle, Getty staff works hand in hand with emergency responders. Roofs are also covered with stone aggregate, which is fire-resistant. Fires … The museum holds 125,000 objects of art and 1.4 million volumes in its library. The Getty Center's security team heard news of the fire crackling on the scanner shortly before 2 a.m. Monday. The air system switched to recycled—much like a car—guaranteeing smoky outside air couldn't reach the artworks and historic documents explained Lapin. The Getty Museum opened in 1997, and originated from the expansive art collection of J. Paul Getty, the founder of Getty Oil Company and one of America’s richest industrialists. As of early Monday afternoon, the Getty Fire was at zero containment and had grown to 618 acres. Photo: Christopher Sprinkle, Getty staff has ongoing close cooperation with emergency response agencies. With the recent dry weather and high winds, the grounds crew was aware of fire risk. Follow him on Twitter at @nchute. I’m the digital editor in the Getty’s communications department. The crushed stone used on the roofs of the museum buildings is also fire-resistant. As wildfire rages, LA's 'fire proof' Getty Museum sees no risk to art An aerial view of the Getty Center museum in Brentwood, Los Angeles, viewed from the south. The Getty Center is considered a high rise, so it has very special fire protections in place, said Rogers. Thank you to Mike Rogers and the entire team. Fire precautions don’t stop with the building itself, either. “The safest place for the artwork to be is right here in the Getty Center,” then-vice president of communications for the J. Paul Getty Trust, Ron Hartwig, said at the time. The Getty Fire was a 2019 wildfire that burned 745 acres (301 ha) in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California.The fire was first reported on October 28, 2019 and was contained on November 5, 2019. The Getty Museum is essentially a fortress specifically designed to protect itself and the art it houses from fire damage. Please e-mail web@getty.edu with comments or questions. The Getty Center art complex in Los Angeles made sure it could protect its priceless artwork and antiquities from flames by building fire-resistant walls and a water tank on its sprawling lands. Interesting it is also that J. Paul Getty Jr. was knighted by Queen Liz in 1998, the year after the museum’s completion. When I was planning to have hard-scaping down around a pool area–on walls, not floor, I was told they could stain and weather poorly as a result of acid rain and pollutants in the area. Thank you for sharing! In addition to year-round landscaping, the grounds team is responsible for ongoing storm drain clearance and road maintenance and for insuring that all irrigation systems are working. No one is going in or out," current vice president of communications Lisa Lapin said. We feel very safe here.”. ... fire protection … I am so sorry for those affected by yet another fire ravaging California, and relieved to learn everything and all at the Getty are safe. Winds can carry burning material a far distance and the tornado effects are way beyond what fires have been predicted in the past. Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti told a news conference property losses could rise, urging residents in the mandatory evacuation zone, which encompasses more than 10,000 homes and businesses, to get out quickly. “It was well thought-out and carefully constructed, and is very carefully maintained and operated. Situation improved, but still active. Find the perfect Fire Protection stock photos and editorial news pictures from Getty Images. Brian Houck, head of grounds and gardens at Getty, surveys the site on the morning of October 29, 2019. Many of you—our visitors, readers, and followers on social media—were immediately concerned about the safety not only of firefighters, nearby residents, and staff, but also of the precious artworks and archival collections housed at the Getty. Consoled. But one group standing its ground is the employees of the Getty Museum… Nate Chute is a producer with the USA Today Network. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. We explain. 4 min read. These fires are not normal. At the fire’s height more than 1,100 firefighters from throughout the region were on the scene of the Getty Fire, ... and grounds are managed for fire protection with continual tree pruning. "We will be cleaning up some ash, though.". Thousands of people were forced to flee, 10 homes were destroyed and … Walls are built of reinforced concrete or fire-protected steel, while the buildings are designed with fire separations, in which doors can isolate any problem areas from the rest of the site. Los Angeles fire officials said a ‘very dynamic fire’ broke out on the west side of the 405 Freeway near the museum on Monday. Have never had the opportunity to visit The Getty but will, my next trip to California. "You don't want to use sprinklers if possible," noted Lapin, because water could damage fragile, rare works. Opened in 1997, the Center is a marvel of anti-fire engineering. Fire Department estimates 48-72 hours to control and extinguish, according to their last press … Fire awareness and prevention is a continual process, said Brian Houck, the Getty’s head of grounds and gardens. Choisissez parmi des contenus premium Fire Protection de la plus haute qualité. Outstanding Getty! Trouvez les Fire Protection images et les photos d’actualités parfaites sur Getty Images. The grounds crew assisted firefighters by preparing the ground to decrease risks. The fire did not immediately cross the wide expanse of the pass to the Getty side, but if it had, the facility is prepared. There is no way to completely be safe here. As the 475-acre Skirball fire burns through brush near the Getty Center, the museum has a plan to keep the fire away from its valuable art collection. But the idea is to avoid a fire — and water damage. When day broke, helicopters and air tankers began "an aggressive attack" on the flames, said Lapin. Glass is melted and shaped in a furnace, becoming rigid when it cools, while soft clay is shaped, dried, and then hardened in an oven called a kiln. What concerns me is all those textured travertine slabs. Inside, the Getty Center is equipped with an air system that keeps smoke from entering the building, and well as folding walls that can close off areas of the museum if they happen to catch on fire. One of the most impactful experiences of my art life during a visit some years ago. Please inform me when it is safe to travel to the Getty. Municipal fire teams tied pink ribbons around Getty’s property to help them read wind direction at a glance. I’m very proud of that, and of our incredible team. Beyond resiliency. Both of our Getty Museums are such an important and influential part of … No one can really knows. Just two years ago during the Skirball Fire, a small fire started on the museum's adjoining hill. Expanses of metal and travertine stone provide additional fire protection in the Getty Center’s design. Inside the Getty Center, the art galleries, library, and artwork storage areas are equally well- engineered, with state-of-the-art features that make them the safest possible place for art and archives during a fire. The museum's emergency operations center was activated. I adore those slabs on the Getty buildings and I would hate to see them stained. This is a great example for all of us. (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) ", The outdoor visitor plaza and sculptures have also not been damaged, she said. The Los Angeles Police Department will have a strong presence in the repopulated and evacuated areas for the next several days to ensure the protection of residents and their property. Inside, reinforced concrete walls and automatic folding fire doors can trap fires in the unlikely event fire enters or starts inside. Seems that a bit of staining or discoloration would be welcome versus the destruction. In addition, there is a one-million-gallon water storage tank on site as an alternate or additional water supply that can support fire sprinklers and hydrants as necessary. Well done on the proper investments in design and planning! The fire did reach the campus, Lapin said, racing down from a ridge above to the Tram parking area where all visitors begin their journey, about a mile below the main campus. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, Getty Center Safe and Secure after Mass Efforts in Getty Fire, Watch the Oakes Brothers’ Drawing of the Getty Take Shape, Line by Line, PODCAST: Responding to Disaster – The Getty Fire, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. “We have a very significant building here,” reflects Rogers. Thanks for this blog post; it gives a great visual understanding to the reader that the Getty is well protected. The complex is normally closed on Mondays to the public, but nearly all of the 800 to 1,000 staff were told to work from home, with a core group of about a dozen staffers, along with full security teams, at the on-site emergency center. A major brush fire, dubbed the Getty Fire, broke out in the early morning hours of October 28, 2019, and consumed over 600 acres to the north and west of the Getty Center. “As soon as we get a red flag warning, we start to mobilize our monitoring of temperature and humidity conditions.”. The Getty campus features wide-open travertine plazas with extensive open space around the buildings to slow down a fire, and the landscaping is well-irrigated throughout. Here, a view of some of the stacks in the Research Library at the Getty Research Institute. I LOVE this article. Glass and ceramics are often united under the term "arts of fire" because of the heat required to create them. Getty Fire evacuees describe 'red ... who charge into the danger to protect their fellow ... evacuate immediately as a wildfire advanced toward his home near the Getty Center museum… The Getty’s architecture and landscaping were designed with fire prevention in mind. “We’re looking at any dry areas and adjusting the irrigation accordingly,” said Houck in response to the current fire. Follow her on Twitter at @janetwilson66. The J. Paul Getty Museum Collection The collection of the J. Paul Getty Museum comprises Greek, Roman, and Etruscan art from the Neolithic to Late Antiquity; European art—including illuminated manuscripts, paintings, drawings, sculpture, and decorative arts—from the Middle Ages to the early twentieth century; and international photography from its inception to the … Caitlin Shamberg and Annelisa Stephan | October 29, 2019 | By mid-morning, fire trucks were parked in the central plaza, as a precaution, but also because the spot offers excellent views of the surrounding hillsides and canyons, where the fire had fingered its way in, burning some homes. It supplies water to an irrigation system that includes a network of pipes on the property. Museum Handbook, Part I, Chapter 9: Museum Fire Protection (2019) 9:2 . Wildfires in California, western US point to climate change. Here, paintings on the second level of the West Pavilion, with Van Gogh’s Irises at left. Select from premium Fire Protection of the highest quality. The $1 billion-complex was designed by Richard Meier and completed more than 20 years ago. NPS . Getty staff saturated this hill on the night of October 28, 2019, to reduce fire danger. Photo: Christopher Sprinkle. blogs.getty.edu/iris/getty-center-art-library-collections-safe-fire REUTERS/ Gene Blevins/File Photo That fire has caused more than 46,000 people to evacuate their homes, according to authorities. Comments on this post are now closed. Both indoors and outdoors, its materials, design, construction, operations, and controls are purpose-built for safety. As California wildfires rage near the Getty Museum, a priceless archive is safe inside Click to return to homepage. “Unlike most of the the 250-odd other metropolitans under the continental United States, it … There is no need to evacuate the art or archives, because they are already in the safest place possible: the Getty Center itself. It was put out without incident, in part thanks to the Getty's massive irrigation system. The Getty Museum building is at left, the Getty Research Institute building at right. The Getty Center’s library, archives, and art-storage areas are also thoroughly protected against fire. "We've sealed all of the archives, all of the galleries. Photo: Christopher Sprinkle. “We knew we were coming into a red flag situation and we began pre-planning,” said Mike Rogers, Getty’s director of facilities. “With separations, if a fire starts, it doesn’t have the ability to travel,” Rogers said. Rogers says they’ve never needed to be used. I work to tell stories about art and the Getty. Both sites are safe. They also turned on irrigation to help saturate areas where fire fighters are working. This article is most informative as I read about the Getty fire. What protects them from being stained by smoke, ash, chlorine in the water, etc.? “Emergency planning and safety are things we do all year round. The buildings are made of highly fire-resistant stone, concrete, and protected steel. About 1,100 firefighters were battling the blaze. This view overlooks the Garden Terrace Cafe, with the Getty Research Institute in the distance. The Getty Fire Incident Command continues to monitor the affected fire areas, as well as those areas remaining closed due to critical infrastructure concerns or safety hazards. RELATED: Getty Center Safe and Secure after Mass Efforts in Getty Fire. The raging Getty fire has licked the edges of the Getty Center campus and threatens to encroach on the tram arrival platform, but the art and archives are safe, the museum … That’s part of our Getty culture, to think about fire safety,” said Rogers. The complex includes 1.3 million square feet of thick travertine stone, a highly fire-resistant material that lines the museum buildings' outside walls.