The landmarks impacted by the LA County fires
Raging wildfires tearing through Los Angeles County have destroyed homes, neighborhoods and iconic landmarks, and killed at least five people.
Why it matters: Some of the most historic structures in the U.S. were completely wiped out.
The big picture: The number of structures destroyed or damaged by the fires is believed to number “in the thousands,” Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said at a briefing Thursday, adding that the Palisades Fire is “one of the most destructive natural disasters in the history of Los Angeles.”
Zoom in: Here’s which landmarks are under threat:
Altadena’s Bunny Museum
The museum burned to the ground, according to the museum’s Instagram account.
Eames House
The 20th century architectural landmark was safe from the fires as ofJan. 8, per the house’s Instagram.
Gamble House
The property is “safe for now!!” the house’s Instagram account said.
The Getty Villa
The world-famous art museum has so far remained safe, according to a Jan. 8 announcement on its website, although a small brush fire burned trees and vegetation on the property.
The Hollywood Sign
The Sunset Fire in Hollywood Hills area caused rumors about the status of the Hollywood sign to circulate on social media (as well as AI-generated photos), but the sign was undamaged as of Thursday evening.
The Hollywood Bowl
The Hollywood Bowl was impacted by evacuation orders due to the Sunset Fire on Wednesday evening, which the amphitheater and park said on X lifted Thursday morning.
Moonshadows
The owners of Moonshadows reposted footage on Instagram reporting that the fire completely destroyed the iconic restaurant and bar.
Palisades Charter High School
Much of the school — classrooms, tennis courts, the baseball field, and bungalows — all burned in the fire, according to The New York Times. As the school was closed for winter break, few people had to be evacuated, BBC reported.
Palisades Elementary Charter School
The fires also caused “significant damage” to the elementary school, per multiple reports.
Palisades Village
Rick Caruso, owner of the Palisades Village mall, told Los Angeles Times that several homes around the shopping center were “fully engulfed” in flames, and that his shopping center too suffered damage.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center
The temple and Jewish center’s campus was “destroyed” by the Eaton Fire, the center said on Facebook.
Reel Inn
Staff at the Pacific Coast Highway restaurant are “unsure what will be left” after flames from the Palisades Fire swept the building, per an Instagram post Wednesday.
Theatre Palisades, Pierson Playhouse
“Our beloved Pierson Playhouse is gone, but the heart of Theatre Palisades beats on. We will rise again,” Pierson Playhouse, the organization said on Facebook on Jan. 8 after the Palisades Fire struck.
Topanga Ranch Motel
California State Parks said in a statement that the Topanga Ranch Hotel, once owned by William Randolph Hearst, was also destroyed by the blaze.
Villa Aurora and the Thomas Mann House
Villa Aurora, a historic artists’ residence, was partially harmed, representatives said in a statement, though the full extent of the damage was unclear as of Thursday evening.
“There are first indications that parts of Villa Aurora were able to withstand the destructive fires. However, the building continues to be in the danger zone,” the representatives write. The Thomas Mann House, which is on the Villa Aurora property, was undamaged as of Thursday.
Villa de Leon
The status of the mansion — featured in music videos by Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and more —was not immediately clear as of Thursday evening
But video footage captured showed that the grounds engulfed in flames from the Palisades Fire.
Will Rogers’s Historic Estate
Will Rogers’ historic house, along with several other Will Rogers State Park structures, were destroyed, according to California State Parks.
At last year’s Consumer Electronics Show, Honda showed off two futuristic concept cars, the wedge-tastic 0 Saloon and the Space Hub van with a lounge-like interior. While the radical Saloon morphs into a prototype and moves closer to production at CES 2025, the Space Hub has been kicked off stage to make room for the Honda 0 SUV prototype, a much more conventional EV aimed at the crossover-crazy masses. The 0 SUV will evolve into a production model and lead the charge for Honda’s next-generation 0 Series EVs when manufacturing at the company’s new EV Hub in Ohio starts in the first half of 2026.
Designed and engineered in-house, the 0 SUV and 0 Saloon represent a reset for Honda, which has lagged behind the industry in delivering long-range EVs. The new models play catchup on the software front as well, incorporating a new Honda-developed operating system running on a centralized electrical/electronic architecture that unlocks new features.
While exact dimensions haven’t been divulged, Honda describes the 0 prototype as a midsize SUV. In person it appears a little larger than a (compact) CR-V and slightly smaller than a (midsize) Passport, which means it could compete with the GM-built Honda Prologue EV if the two vehicles end up sharing the showroom floor. The 0 distinguishes itself, though, with strong upright proportions that give it a more traditional SUV appearance compared to the wagon-like shape that’s common among electric crossovers.
Inside the 0 prototype offers seating for five and a spacious cargo area that includes two enclosed cubbies behind the thick D-pillars. The cockpit feels modern and upscale thanks in large part to pillar-to-pillar screens running across the dashboard. Three large displays serving as the instrument cluster, infotainment, and passenger screen are flanked by two small monitors for the camera mirrors. Don’t be surprised, though, if the production model sprouts conventional mirrors to meet U.S. regulations.
The driver pilots the 0 SUV with a yoke-style steering wheel and a steer-by-wire system similar to what’s used by the Tesla Cybertruck. With no physical connection to the front tires, the yoke in the prototype automatically rotates 180 degrees when the vehicle is off, providing more clearance for entering and exiting the vehicle.
Honda says the 0 Series will be capable of Level 3 eyes-off-the-road automated driving, which means a driver could watch a movie or join a video conference but would need to remain awake and alert to take control if the vehicle encounters a situation it can’t handle. That said, during a prototype drive last October, we were told that Level 3 capability won’t be available in the U.S. at launch and executives couldn’t shed any additional light on timing at CES 2025.
Whenever eyes-off driver assistance does arrive, expect a cautious rollout. Honda says the system will initially work as a highway traffic-jam assistant at low speeds on certain limited-access roads and that additional capability will be unlocked in time via over-the-air updates.
