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A high school used in many films, a synagogue and several well-known restaurants are among the structures that burned, while other local landmarks are endangered.
- Jan. 8, 2025Updated 2:45 p.m. ET
The wildfires that continued to burn through Southern California on Wednesday have gutted a number of local landmarks in some of the most affluent areas of Los Angeles.
On Wednesday morning, fire officials estimated that more than 1,000 structures had already been destroyed. The fires carved a destructive path through Pacific Palisades and Malibu, communities that have long lured people who want to live near the coast, away from the city’s hustle and bustle. Pacific Palisades is so closely associated with California’s sun and surf lifestyle that the Beach Boys name-check it in “Surfin’ U.S.A.”
Some of the affected sites include:
Palisades Charter High School: Flames overwhelmed the campus at the independent charter school in Pacific Palisades, according to Nick Melvoin, a trustee at the Los Angeles Unified School District.
The school has frequently been featured onscreen, including in the film “Freaky Friday” and in the television series “Teen Wolf.” Among its alumni are a number of well-known figures in the worlds of show business, sports and the arts, including the musician will.i.am, the director J.J. Abrams and the actor Forest Whitaker, according to the school’s website.
Mr. Melvoin said the school was still closed for winter break, so there was no need to evacuate. He said that classrooms, bungalows, tennis courts and the baseball field had burned.
The Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center: The synagogue in Pasadena, which traces its roots back to the early 20th Century, was engulfed by the Eaton fire, said Melissa Levy, its executive director, though the extent of the damage was unclear.
Reel Inn: A well-known seafood restaurant in Malibu, Reel Inn, posted a link on social media to a report in The Malibu Times, which said the restaurant had been destroyed in the Palisades fire. “We are so grateful for the 36 years we have been part of the community,” the restaurant’s owners said in the post, adding: “We are heartbroken and unsure what will be left.”
Malibu Feed Bin: A local institution that has sold pet supplies and gifts since 1966 was destroyed in the Palisades fire, according to a post on social media. “With a heavy heart, I am writing this. We lost the Feed Bin today,” the post said.
Theater Palisades, Pierson Playhouse: Officials said on their website that “all operations” had been suspended until further notice “owing to the serious damage sustained in the Palisades Fire.” Local news coverage showed the community theater, founded by three television writers in the 1960s, fully engulfed by flames.
