A brush fire erupted near the Getty Center in Los Angeles on Wednesday afternoon, September 9, sending a large plume of smoke over the Sepulveda Pass and prompting evacuation warnings as firefighters battled flames in the hills alongside the 405 Freeway.
The fire, officially known as the Getty Fire, was reported shortly after 4:15 p.m. near Getty Center Drive in the Brentwood area. What initially appeared to be a relatively small vegetation fire expanded rapidly, reaching approximately 25 acres by Wednesday evening.
Los Angeles firefighters responded with ground crews and aircraft as flames moved through dense brush on the hillside above the freeway. Multiple water-dropping helicopters were deployed to assist crews battling the fire from the air.
The blaze was close enough to the Getty Center that the museum was closed early and visitors were directed to leave the property. Evacuation warnings were also issued for two nearby zones as a precaution, covering areas around the Getty Center and Mount St. Mary’s University.
Despite the dramatic appearance of the fire and the heavy smoke visible across parts of West Los Angeles, officials reported that no injuries had been reported. Firefighters also said that homes were not ultimately threatened by the flames, although residents in the warning areas were urged to remain prepared to evacuate if conditions changed.
By Wednesday evening, firefighters had stopped the forward progress of the blaze after it burned approximately 25 acres. Crews remained at the scene to work on remaining hot spots and continue mop-up operations.
The cause of the fire remained under investigation. Officials had not immediately announced whether the blaze was accidental, caused by equipment or human activity, or the result of another factor.
The fire occurred during a period of unusually hot conditions in Southern California. Temperatures in the Brentwood area reached around 100 degrees, while firefighters were working in challenging conditions to prevent the flames from spreading through the dry hillside vegetation.
The Getty Center’s location on a hill above the 405 Freeway has made the surrounding area particularly sensitive to brush fires. The museum complex was specifically designed with extensive fire-resistant features, including concrete and stone construction, protected steel, irrigated landscaping and systems intended to help protect the collections from smoke and flames.
The latest Getty Fire was not the first wildfire to receive the Getty name. A much larger blaze in October 2019 burned hundreds of acres in the hills around the Getty Center and forced evacuations in nearby communities. The 2026 fire, however, was considerably smaller, and firefighters were able to stop its forward progress after it reached approximately 25 acres.
As of the latest reports, there were no confirmed civilian or firefighter injuries, and no structures had been reported destroyed or damaged by the fire.
Authorities continued monitoring the area while crews worked to extinguish remaining hot spots. Residents in the affected evacuation-warning zones were advised to remain alert and follow instructions from emergency officials.
The Getty Center was expected to remain affected by the emergency response while authorities assessed conditions around the property. Officials had not yet announced a final cause for the fire or indicated when all evacuation warnings would be lifted.
The investigation remains ongoing as firefighters and authorities continue working to fully secure the area and determine how the Getty Fire began.
