[Last updated 1/20/25 5:32 PM PT—Added Christmas Tree Lane Model Railroad and added some info about Mountain View Cemetery.]
[Updated 1/18/25 9:36 AM PT—Added San Vicente Mountain Park.]
[Updated 1/15/25 7:11 PM PT—Added Saddle Peak Lodge, Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum, and Inn of the Seventh Ray.]
[Updated 1/13/25 9:48 PM PT—Added Balian House]
How am I faring in the tragic firestorms of Los Angeles? I'm safe for now, but I'm stressed. I'm grieving. I'm in mourning. All of LA is.
So I turn my attention to documenting. It feels like all I can do.
I've already started a running tally of the places that were lost in the Palisades and the Eaton Fires, focusing on those I'd already photographed and knew pretty intimately.
But I'd like to add some good news in the mix, so here's what I know about some of the places I care about and their survival status.
Lake Shrine
According to a post on its website, Self-Realization Fellowship's Lake Shrine campus in the Pacific Palisades lost some monks' residences down the road, equipment, a storage unit, and a visitor restroom across from the museum, but the museum and all other legacy structures around the lake survived—including the windmill (pictured above in 2019).
Getty Villa
As documented by a Los Angeles Times article, Getty Villa's grounds got a little singed around the edges from the flames of the Palisades Fire, but its structures and collections (pictured above in 2015) are intact.
Eames House
The Eames Office and the Eames Foundation shared on Instagram that the Eames House (Case Study House #8, pictured above in 2013) has been spared thus far. Visits are temporarily suspended.
San Vicente Mountain Park
The Palisades Fire was making a beeline towards San Vicente Mountain Park (a.k.a. LA-96, pictured above in 2011) as it was spreading north and east, but the Nike missile tower and other structures still stand, according to a Facebook post from the Pacific Palisades Historical Society.
The Golden Bull
The Golden Bull (established 1949, pictured above in 2021) shared on Instagram that it's still standing. Likewise, Gladstone's Malibu was not destroyed, but it did sustain damage—and according to its GoFundMe for staff, it's unclear how and when it can reopen.
Saddle Peak Lodge
Saddle Peak Lodge announced on Facebook that while the restaurant was still under mandatory evacuation, the former hunting lodge was saved from the Palisades Fire.
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum
Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum posted on Facebook that the theatre complex in Topanga still stands, although still under evacuation orders.
Inn of the Seventh Ray
Although Inn of the Seventh Ray has yet to make an official announcement, maps of the Palisades Fire perimeter show that the blaze didn't reach the famed Topanga Canyon restaurant (although they got scary close).
Mt. Wilson Observatory
I couldn't take my eyes off the news when it was broadcasting the Eaton Fire live from the top of Mt. Wilson, where flames were licking the bottoms of broadcast towers and approaching the historic observatory campus (pictured above in 2019). Fortunately, fire crews were able to keep it back and structures were left unharmed.
Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)
The NASA/JPL campus (pictured above in 2023) was also threatened—and, in fact, the entire city of La Cañada Flintridge, where it's located, was under mandatory evacuation orders. But firefighters were able to defend the perimeter and keep the Eaton Fire from advancing and causing any damage to the space research facility (home of the Mars Rover).
Mountain View Mausoleum & Cemetery
Mountain View has posted on its website that its main mausoleum (pictured above in 2014), Pasadena Mausoleum, mortuary, Vista Del Monte Crypts, and Fair Oaks Garden Crypts did not burn in the Eaton Fire...
...although parts of its cemetery (pictured above in 2015) sustained some minor fire damage (which would've been more were it not for a civilian team devoted to saving it, as chronicled in this article from The New York Times.
Mt. Lowe Railway Powerhouse
A statement from the Mennonite community shared that Full Circle Thrift, located in the former Mount Lowe Railway's Pacific Electric Railway Company Substation No. 8 (pictured above in 2017), survived the Eaton Fire—despite the fact that everything across the street (including the ALDI) was destroyed.
Balian House
[Update 1/13/25] Although it's no longer decorated for Christmas during the holidays, the 1922 Balian House (pictured above in 2013)—once home to the Balian Ice Cream family—still stands.
Christmas Tree Lane and Model Railroad
[Update 1/20/25] As suspected, the deodar cedars of Altadena's Christmas Tree Lane (pictured above in 2021) came out largely unscathed—from the fire, at least, although the wind is another story. However, several houses on Santa Rosa Avenue did burn.
Good news, though: The house that's home to the Christmas Tree Lane Model Railroad (pictured above in 2020) was saved from the blaze. And the model trains and their layout was heroically rescued by a group of railroader volunteers—as described in this riveting article from LAist.
Here are some places I'm tracking that I have some optimism for their survival:
- La Señora Institute
- Villa Aurora (which I have not yet documented but it's been on my list for years)
- Sturtevant Camp and Adam's Pack Station (although there was surely wind damage)
This natural disaster isn't over, folks. We're coming up on more red flag warnings, and it still hasn't rained.
Let's hope we don't lose anything else. But in the meantime, I'll keep updating this post as I found out more information.
Glad to hear you are ok! This is a very sad time for so many in LA county right now for so many reasons.
ReplyDeleteI noticed another bit of good news:
The Eaton Fire got real close to the beloved Sturtevant Falls / Chantry Flats hiking area North of Arcadia, CA but for the time being it looks to be contained which includes Adams Pack Station, dining spot and Sturtevant Camp. Though I imagine the trails that head up to Mt. Wilson from the upper creek trail might have been singed noticeably when looking West, but honestly its too early to know at the moment. I am relieved that the main lower waterfall trails were spared considering this area had only just reopened (after over 4 years closure) since the Bobcat fire in 2020.
Also noticed Descanso Garden in La Canada/Flintridge was also spared. According to their website, they are currently closed as the location took a beating from the strong winds, but beauty of the location and its lovely grounds were spared from the fire's reach. Looking forward to enjoying a stroll among the seasonal pink, white and red camellias. A reminder that Hope still blooms fresh in winter for an otherwise barren January in many gardens.