Chris Harrison Hopes to Get Back Into the ‘Bachelor’ Mansion Following Wildfire Damage

California has suffered several devastating wildfires in recent weeks, including the Woolsey Fire, which caused significant damage to the famed Bachelor Mansion in its path. Host Chris Harrison has now provided an update on the state of the house, including his hopes to return and film for the franchise’s next season.

“The actual house is standing,” Harrison told The Hollywood Reporter. “Hopefully, we’ll be back shooting at the mansion next season [for The Bachelorette]. The goal is to get back there.”

According to Harrison, the house itself sustained minimal damage. A separate house used by The Bachelor as a production office and for storage space was wiped out by the fire, as was the backyard patio. Other items on the property were melted by the flames.

Season 23 of The Bachelor, starring Colton Underwood, is set to premiere on Monday, January 7, 2019. Filming for the show was underway when the fire occurred, but the production had already moved off-site by then. The mansion is a private home that is rented by ABC for several weeks a year, including for filming The Bachelorette, which typically premieres late in May following the conclusion of The Bachelor.

Harrison also told THR that it isn’t just about making sure the show can maintain its iconic location — bringing the production into the neighborhood has a positive ripple effect on the community that he hopes to continue.

“We do a lot of good in the community,” he said. “We shop here, eat here, and stay here at the hotels. And dump a lot of money into the community when we shoot here. So my goal is to make sure we get back into the house and use it, especially this season, to show that we’re back and that the city is good. And hopefully, bring the money and jobs back here.”

What would you think of a season of The Bachelorette filmed somewhere other than the mansion? Let us know @BritandCo.

(photo via ABC/Paul Hebert)