Moraga Estate, the only working winery in Bel-Air and home of Twenty-First Century Fox and Fox News Chairman Rupert Murdoch, appears to be the latest casualty of wildfires spread by the Santa Ana winds in Southern California.
Local news affiliate NBC4 reported Wednesday that the estate, located on a vineyard outside of Los Angeles and across the 405 freeway from the Getty Museum, was “burning down.” It’s unclear if the fire is burning the vineyard or the house as well.
People in Murdoch’s estate, along with other homes in Bel-Air and nearby Sherman Oaks, were ordered to evacuate.
Murdoch lives in the 7,500-square-foot house with his wife Jerry Hall. The media mogul purchased the estate in 2013 for $28.8 million, according to Bloomberg.
Murdoch celebrated the purchase in a tweet at the time, noting that the location once appeared on the cover of Time magazine.
About to celebrate buying beautiful small vineyard right in LA. Great wine, Moraga, owned by great Angelino, Tom Jones. Time cover,1961!
— Rupert Murdoch (@rupertmurdoch) May 10, 2013
The Murdoch estate is just one of many structures to succumb to a series of fires that have erupted in Southern California, including Ventura County. The fires prompted officials to shut down parts of the 405 freeway, a major north-south commuter artery.
The Skirball Fire, named because of its proximity to the Skirball Cultural Center, is pushing its way through the high-priced Bel-Air area and threatening the Getty Museum. The Rye and Creek fires are north of San Fernando Valley in north LA, while the Thomas fire is the one northwest of Los Angeles in Ventura.
Google’s 2017 statewide fire map for California lists active fires in the state and whether they’re contained or not. Clicking or tapping on fires on the map reveals the current condition of each individual blaze, information that is pulled directly from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
