Before-and-after photos show iconic Los Angeles locations impacted by wildfires

Iconic landmarks such as the Hollywood Sign were engulfed in smoke from the LA wildfires. See before and after photos of famous tourist hotspots.

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Jan 10, 2025 - 05:00
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Before-and-after photos show iconic Los Angeles locations impacted by wildfires
The Hollywood sign is on Mount Lee. Further up the mountain behind it is a huge tower covered in satellite dishes.
The Hollywood sign was surrounded by smoke from the Los Angeles wildfires.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

  • Multiple fires are devastating the Los Angeles area with over 100,000 people told to evacuate.
  • Landmarks such as the Hollywood sign and the Getty Center were undamaged but engulfed in smoke.
  • The Griffith Observatory will be closed until further notice.

The Los Angeles wildfires have devastated portions of the city and surrounding areas.

The Palisades fire, which started on January 7, has left more than 19,000 acres burning. In total, wildfires have burned over 29,000 acres.

Over 100,000 residents have been ordered to evacuate, and many more — including celebrities — have lost their homes.

Here's how the fires have impacted some of the most famous landmarks in Los Angeles.

The Griffith Observatory offers free public telescopes and sweeping views of downtown Los Angeles.
The Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles.
The Griffith Observatory.

dszc/Getty Images

The structure, which spans 67,000 square feet, includes a planetarium, observatory, and exhibits about the cosmos.

The observatory's telescopes were rendered useless due to thick clouds of smoke.
Smoke from wildfires hangs in the sky over Griffith Observatory.
Smoke from wildfires in the sky over Griffith Observatory.

Andy Bao/AP

The Griffith Observatory wrote on Instagram on Wednesday that it will be closed until further notice due to the current weather and fire conditions.

The Hollywood sign, visible from the Griffith Observatory, is the most famous landmark in Los Angeles.
The Hollywood sign
The Hollywood Sign.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

The Hollywood sign has been featured in countless TV shows and movies over the years as the most iconic location in the city.

As fires blazed across the city, the normally blue skies turned gray with smoke and ash.
The Hollywood sign is on Mount Lee. Further up the mountain behind it is a huge tower covered in satellite dishes.
The Hollywood sign was surrounded by smoke from the Los Angeles wildfires.

AaronP/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

As of Thursday, the sign was not located in an evacuation warning area, but the site is closed due to damage from surrounding fires.

After false images of the sign burning began to circulate on social media, the Hollywood Sign clarified in a Facebook post that it "continues to stand tall!"

Sunset Boulevard boasts luxury shops, restaurants, and nightlife.
Sunset Boulevard.
Sunset Boulevard.

ANDREY DENISYUK/Getty Images

The famous 1.7-mile-long Sunset Strip along Sunset Boulevard is located between Hollywood and West Hollywood.

Part of Sunset Boulevard has been hit hard by the wildfires.
Sunset Boulevard damaged by wildfires.
Sunset Boulevard damaged by wildfires.

Bellocqimages/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images

Part of Sunset Boulevard, which spans 25 miles, is located in Pacific Palisades. The Palisades fire caused heavy damage, and many buildings along the famous street have burned down.

The Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena is home to the UCLA Bruins college football team.
Rose Bowl Stadium.
Rose Bowl Stadium.

Kirby Lee/Getty Images

The stadium also hosts its namesake Rose Bowl Game annually on New Year's Day.

Aerial views of The Rose Bowl were obscured by smoke.
The Rose Bowl obscured by smoke from wildfires.
The Rose Bowl covered in smoke from wildfires.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Some sports games have been postponed due to the wildfires. On Wednesday, the National Hockey League delayed a match between the Los Angeles Kings and Calgary Flames that was supposed to take place at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles.

The Getty Center, a giant museum complex in the Santa Monica Mountains, spans 110 acres.
An aerial view of the Getty Center in Brentwood, California.
An aerial view of the Getty Center in Brentwood, California.

Michael Rosebrock/Shutterstock

Designed by architect Richard Meier, the Getty Center houses collections of paintings, manuscripts, photography, and sculptures from Europe and the US.

The effects of the wildfires could be seen in the distance behind the museum on Wednesday at sunset.
The Getty Center Museum shrouded in smoke from fires.
Fire and smoke behind the Getty Center.

PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images

Clouds of smoke billowed around the complex, but the museum was undamaged.

The Getty Villa, situated on a 64-acre estate, houses Greek and Roman antiquities.
The Getty Villa.
The Getty Villa.

Arellano915/Shutterstock

The Getty Villa, built by J. Paul Getty, is located about 11 miles from the Getty Museum.

Wildfires scorched the grounds of the Getty Villa, but the building itself remains safe.
The Getty Villa sign with fires in the background from the Palisades Fire in California
Buildings and trees around the Getty Villa went up in flames.

David Swanson / Contributor / Getty Images

Katherine E. Fleming, president and chief executive of the J. Paul Getty Trust, said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times that the organization "had made extensive efforts to clear brush from the surrounding area as part of its fire mitigation efforts throughout the year."

"Some trees and vegetation on-site have burned, but staff and the collection remain safe," she said.

Located near the Getty Villa, the Kauffman Estate has appeared in music videos such as "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga and "Haunted" by Beyoncé.
The Villa de Leon, known as the Kauffman Estate, is seen in Malibu, California.
The Villa de Leon, known as the Kauffman Estate, is seen in Malibu, California.

GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images

Also known as the Villa de Leon, the French Revival estate was built in Malibu in 1927 for wool merchant Leon Kauffman.

The 12,000-square-foot mansion was barely visible in the orange sky.
The Villa de Leon, known as the Kauffman Estate, engulfed in smoke during fires in California.
The Kauffman Estate was threatened by the flames of the wind-driven Palisades Fire.

DAVID SWANSON/AFP via Getty Images

Winds of up to 90 miles per hour made the California wildfires difficult to control.

The Kauffman Estate, now a private residence, appeared to still be standing as of Tuesday evening, but the extent of the damage is unclear.

Will Rogers State Historic Park in the Santa Monica Mountains was once the luxury residence of one of the highest-paid actors of the 1930s.
An old barn at Will Rogers State Historic Park.
The old horse barn at Will Rogers State Historic Park.

trekandshoot/Shutterstock

In the 1920s, Rogers built a ranch on the 359 acres of land he owned featuring a 31-room house, stables, and a golf course. His widow donated it to the California State Parks system in 1944.

The Palisades Fire destroyed "multiple structures" including Will Rogers' historic home, according to California State Parks.
Will Rogers' house at Will Rogers State Historic Park was destroyed by the Palisades Fire.
Will Rogers' house at Will Rogers State Historic Park was destroyed by the Palisades Fire.

© California State Parks, all rights reserved

"California State Parks mourns the loss of these treasured natural and cultural resources, and our hearts go out to everyone impacted by the devastating fires in the Los Angeles area," California State Parks director Armando Quintero said in a statement.

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