California wildfires prompt dealership closures; one dealer loses home

Originally published in Automotive News on January 10th, 2025

Some Los Angeles area auto dealers have paused operations out of concern for the multiple wildfires blazing across the region.

The fires have moved through more than 45 square miles of land, burning 13,000 structures and putting about 179,000 people under evacuation orders, according to the Los Angeles Times, prompting auto dealers to temporarily close.

LAcarGUY, a dealership group in the Los Angeles area, on Jan. 9 closed seven Santa Monica locations and one Hollywood dealership because of the fires, according to a LinkedIn post.

The first of the fires began Jan. 7, created by the dry, windy weather in the Los Angeles area. The largest, the Palisades fire, has covered over 31 square miles, destroying as many as 10,000 structures, according to the Times. It is expected to be the costliest fire in U.S. history. Firefighting teams expect the wind and dry conditions to continue in the coming days, which might complicate containment efforts.

Brett Sutherlin, CEO of Sutherlin Automotive Group, lost his home in the Palisades fire, according to a LinkedIn post. .

“We will be going through a lot over the next few weeks and dealing with the loss of our beautiful home and neighborhood,” he wrote in the post.

Automotive News couldn’t immediately reach Sutherlin by phone or email for comment.