US authorities examine role of utility firm as wildfire blazes inch towards world-famous art museum

As the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles are raging on for the 6th consecutive day, having already destroyed over 15,000 hectares of land, claimed 16 lifes and now threaten to destroy the area's most prized art collection, authorities are now investigating the possibility that a local utility infrastructure could have sparked one of the fires, that is still burning in the Sylmar suburb. 

The utility company, owned by Southern California Edison (SCE) has revealed to local regulators that a downed conductor was found at a tower linked to its Eagle Rock-Sylmar 220 kV circuit. As Caliber.Az reports citing American media, the utility firm clarified that the “SCE does not know whether the damage observed occurred before or after the start of the fire,” stressing on January 10, that the inquiry by authorities had not reached any conclusion as of yet. 

According to the preliminary data, the circuit experienced a relay at 10:11 p.m. on January 7, which closely aligns with the reported start time of the Hurst fire at approximately 10:10 p.m. 

The Hurst fire is just one of several devastating wildfires in the region. More than 10,000 structures have been destroyed so far, mainly private homes and civil institutions such as schools, libraries, churches but also commercial objects such as shops and restaurants. Out of the 6 major fires that have burned in the past days, CNN reports that 4 are still ongoing. 

The impact has been catastrophic, with private forecaster AccuWeather estimating damages and economic losses between $135 billion and $150 billion.

These fires are also expected to stoke an insurance crisis as the damages will lead to higher homeowners’ insurance costs, adding another layer of hardship for affected residents.

As wildfires continue engulfing Los Angeles, authorities expanded evacuation orders on January 10 to an area that includes the world-renowned Getty Center — home to one of the city's most prized art collections.

According to US media, the evacuation order in Brentwood, an upscale neighborhood home to many celebrities like Harrison Ford, comes just days after the museum's other campus, the Getty Villa, was in the line of fire. Both sites are currently closed until.

The museum features an expansive collection of art, including paintings and sculptures by European masters such as Rubens, Rembrandt, Degas, Monet, and many others. Among the museum's most valuable artworks is Vincent Van Gogh's notable "Irises."

By Nazrin Sadigova