LA Fires & The Magic Castle
Major fires have destroyed parts of Southern California. Two weeks after the first fire broke out on January 7th, 28 people were reported killed, tens of thousands evacuated, and thousands of buildings were destroyed.
In total, the fires have burned approximately 40,000 acres of land, with the earliest, the Palisades Fire, accounting for more than half of the destruction.
The news spread quickly, dominating headlines across media outlets worldwide.
It also drew the attention of the magic community—not only because Los Angeles is home to many magicians but also due to the direct threat nearby fires posed to The Magic Castle.
The Magic Castle is a private, exclusive club where members of The Academy of Magical Arts and their guests experience nightly performances. As the world's premier magic venue, it regularly hosts the world's best magicians, making it a beloved institution within the magic community.
Chicago-based magician Paige Thompson was one of the Castle's performers during the week of the fires. Initially, the week began as usual at the venue, but concern quickly grew. Quoting Thompson:
"Monday was great before the winds and fires began. Tuesday became a bit different feeling, with people being unsure of what to expect with the crazy winds and fires beginning. Many people in the audience were holding their phones to be prepared for whatever news was coming."
Although the first major fires broke out on Tuesday, January 7th, they were some distance from The Magic Castle. However, everything changed on Wednesday when The Sunset Fire ignited in nearby Runyon Canyon. Thompson explains that the danger escalated quickly:
"The Castle called the performers pretty early on Wednesday to let us know it would close for the evening out for precaution and for the safety of staff and guests. I sat at the Castle apartments across the street and just kept looking out the window. It had gotten dark and I saw an orange glow over the hill that became a large flame–it hit me that a new fire was very close. Tenants of the apartments were running in the hallways to alert everyone that a fire was in Runyon Canyon, which was very close to the castle."
On January 8th, The Magic Castle posted a brief note on social media announcing the closure for the evening. Later that day, a photo of The Sunset Fire, seen to be threatening the Castle, began circulating online.
Castle performers were evacuated among residents in the area. Thompson left for Anaheim before a mandatory evacuation was issued, but others faced gridlocks. According to Rolling Stone, some Castle staffers hosed down the venue's exterior before leaving.
Thankfully, the fire stopped roughly a mile from the Castle, leaving it unharmed. It was contained shortly before 4 pm on Thursday, January 9th.
Despite being a small fire compared to others across LA, it posed a significant threat to the historic venue and the surrounding buildings.
The Magic Castle reopened on the Friday, as Thompson recalls:
"[On Friday,] you could tell there was a bit of uneasiness with the guests, but many also wanted a distraction with what had been going on the previous days, and the fires that were still burning. It was hard to not constantly think about all the people that had lost so much."
The Sunset Fire burned 43 acres of land—approximately 1/1,000th of the destruction Southern California witnessed in the two weeks following the initial outbreak—a tragic and sobering disaster.
After the immediate crisis was averted, the Castle's management decided to take action and help the community and those who suffered the consequences of the fires. On January 14th, the Castle hosted a fundraiser and community event.
The parking lot of the venue was transformed into a hub for relief efforts, with tables offering clothes, toys, food, and other essentials. It became a drop-off and pick-up center as well as a refuge for those in need.
Volunteers handed out sandwiches and water bottles. Ice cream trucks and balloon artists added touches of joy to the atmosphere, and, as expected, magicians stepped in to contribute, too. As reported by Rolling Stone, strolling magicians were an integral part of the event, providing entertainment and creating moments of lightness and hope amid the backdrop of tragedy.
Since then, The Magic Castle has returned to its normal operations, even when fires continued to burn across the Los Angeles area for many days. After nearly twenty days, some of these fires were still active.
At the time of publishing, the LA fires were near full containment as rain that fell over the weekend had left the area.
It’s important to note that this was not the first time The Magic Castle narrowly escaped a fire. On October 31st, 2011, a fire burned part of the attic. 120 firefighters contained it. Some magicians noted that the 2011 Castle fire took place on the very day and exact hour Houdini died 85 years earlier.
While there has been relief and celebration within the community regarding the safety of The Magic Castle and its performers, it’s impossible to overlook the devastating impact of the recent fires on countless others. The destruction caused by such events leaves lasting scars on those directly affected.
California has, unfortunately, become globally recognized for the severity and frequency of its wildfires, and the resulting devastation is well-known.
We heard stories of magicians who were forced to evacuate their homes in recent weeks, many of whom remain uncertain about when or if they will be able to return. Many of our readers will undoubtedly have been directly impacted by the fires or know people who have lost their homes entirely. Our thoughts go out to everyone impacted.
