NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 58
Perspectives
W I L D F I R E P R E P A R AT I O N
GUARDING
THE GETTY
HOW THE J. PAUL GETTY MUSEUM IN LOS ANGELES
WAS DESIGNED TO WITHSTAND WILDFIRE
Interview conducted and edited by Angelo Verzoni
he Getty Center is situated on a
sprawling 86-acre hilltop site in
the Brentwood neighborhood of
Los Angeles, offering commanding
views of the city, Interstate 405, and
the nearby Santa Monica Mountains. The center
includes the renowned Getty Museum and an
array of facilities that are part of the J. Paul Getty
Trust, one of the world's wealthiest arts organizations-the trust's 2018 endowments totaled $7.3
billion, according to public records posted on the
museum's website. Possessing resources of that
magnitude means, among other things, that the
Getty Museum can afford to pack its sleek walls
with some of the world's most prized artwork,
including masterpieces by Rembrandt, Monet, Van
Gogh, and scores of others.
In October, art lovers around the world issued
a collective gasp at the news that a wildfire was
bearing down on the Getty Center complex. The
wind-driven brush fire started so close to the
complex that it was named the Getty Fire, destroying homes and forcing thousands to evacuate.
"Please keep those priceless works safe," one
person wrote on Twitter. "We love the Getty and
pray that all of the beautiful art that makes life so
much easier to enjoy will be safe," tweeted another.
T
HARDENED UP
From the stone and
steel encasing its
buildings to the
well-manicured,
consistently
watered lawns
of its sprawling
86-acre property,
the Getty Center
was designed to
withstand wildfires.
That resiliency was
tested in October,
when a wildfire
ignited so close to
the property that
it was named the
Getty Fire.
58 | NFPA JOURNAL * J A N U A R Y / F E B R U A R Y 2 0 2 0
Meanwhile, other observers expressed their
concerns on social media over what the museum
would actually do with its collection during the
fire. "I'm curious about your emergency procedures," one person tweeted, tagging the museum
in her post. "Is there specific art taken off the
walls and moved?" Less than an hour later,
the museum posted a tweet addressing these
concerns. "Many have asked about the art," the
museum said. "It is protected by state-of-the-art
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020
Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NFPA Journal - January/February 2020
Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 1
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 2
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 3
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Contents
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 5
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 6
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 7
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 8
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 9
NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - 10
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NFPA Journal - January/February 2020 - Cover3
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