The Devastating Impact of Wildfires on CaliforniaS Cultural Heritage
Table of Contents
- 1. The Devastating Impact of Wildfires on CaliforniaS Cultural Heritage
- 2. What are some innovative approaches communities can take to preserve the memory of historically notable sites lost to wildfires?
- 3. The Devastating Impact of wildfires on California’s Cultural Heritage
- 4. A Conversation wiht Adrian Fine, President & CEO of the LA Conservancy
- 5. Rebuilding While Preserving Memories
- 6. The Weight of History
The recent Eaton and Palisades wildfires stand as some of the most destructive in California’s history.Amongst the thousands of structures lost are countless historically-designated and culturally notable buildings, homes, and businesses, leaving a palpable wound in the state’s past fabric. This tragedy raises a profound question for preservationists: how do we preserve history when the physical structures themselves are gone?
Adrian Scott Fine, President and CEO of the LA Conservancy, articulates this challenge stating, “in certain specific cases, we have a facade standing, but the building’s gone. Is that facade now critically important?” He goes on to emphasize, “We always say it in preservation: If the physical place no longer exists, it’s much harder to understand the stories, the people that were important to that place, the architecture. If you can’t see it, touch it, feel it, and experience it by going into that place, it’s so much less real.”
The LA Conservancy has already tracked and verified dozens of historical sites impacted by the wildfires. These include the 1887 home of Andrew McNally, co-founder of Rand McNally Publishing in Altadena, the 78-year-old artist colony Zorthian Ranch, and a 1925 spanish Colonial property featured in the HBO show Hacks. Additionally, the Palisades Fire claimed the Santa Monica Mountains home of Will Rogers and the residence of renowned modern classical composer Arnold Schoenberg, who described his experience of settling in the Palisades after fleeing the Nazis in the 1930s as “driven into Paradise.”
Beyond formally designated landmarks, countless other sites without official recognition represent the cultural heritage of communities. These include beloved establishments like Altadena Hardware,which served the community as 1934,century-old restaurant Reel Inn,and the beloved roadside staple Cholada Thai in Malibu.
The sheer scale of devastation poses a unique challenge for recovery efforts.
“It’s complete annihilation.There’s nothing standing at all, maybe a chimney,” says Fine. “it’s much more destructive in terms of the kinds of losses we’re seeing here, versus even things like [Hurricane] Katrina.” While Hurricane Katrina caused widespread damage, many structures in New Orleans survived and rebuilding efforts focused on water damage and mold remediation. The California wildfires, though, have erased entire neighborhoods, leaving a profound void in the social and historical landscape.
Fine ponders whether communities should rebuild exactly as they were or embrace a fresh start. Benjamin Kahle, a realtor and member of the LA County Historical landmark and Records Commission, suggests exploring creative solutions. He proposes looking at Case Study Homes, post-World War II affordable and easy-to-construct homes, or even reviving the concept of Sears Modern homes, adapted to modern standards.
Replicating historical structures exactly may prove challenging due to evolving building codes and material changes. The Bel Air Fire of 1961, for example, led to a ban on wood-shingle roofs. modern innovations like vinyl windows and LED lights also influence the aesthetics of new construction.Kahle suggests, “Perhaps there’s a series of models that a family could pick. There’s a batch of spanish, Tudor, Craftsman, bungalow, whatever it might potentially be. It doesn’t have to be overly elegant. You’re talking [about a] 14-2000 square-foot home. There’s probably a way to do it, to also make it energy efficient, but retain its historic nature in an economical way.”
What are some innovative approaches communities can take to preserve the memory of historically notable sites lost to wildfires?
The Devastating Impact of wildfires on California’s Cultural Heritage
The recent Eaton and Palisades wildfires stand as some of the most destructive in California’s history. Among the thousands of structures lost are countless historically-designated and culturally notable buildings, homes, and businesses, leaving a palpable wound in the state’s past fabric. This tragedy raises a profound question for preservationists: how do we preserve history when the physical structures themselves are gone?
A Conversation wiht Adrian Fine, President & CEO of the LA Conservancy
Adrian Scott fine, President and CEO of the LA Conservancy, articulates this challenge stating, “In certain specific cases, we have a facade standing, but the building’s gone. Is that facade now critically important?” He goes on to emphasize, “We always say it in preservation: If the physical place no longer exists, it’s much harder to understand the stories, the people that were important to that place, the architecture.If you can’t see it, touch it, feel it, and experience it by going into that place, it’s so much less real.”
The LA Conservancy has already tracked and verified dozens of past sites impacted by the wildfires. These include the 1887 home of Andrew McNally, co-founder of Rand McNally Publishing in Altadena, the 78-year-old artist colony Zorthian Ranch, and a 1925 Spanish Colonial property featured in the HBO show Hacks. Additionally, the Palisades Fire claimed the Santa Monica Mountains home of Will Rogers and the residence of renowned modern classical composer Arnold Schoenberg, who described his experience of settling in the Palisades after fleeing the Nazis in the 1930s as “driven into Paradise.”
Beyond formally designated landmarks, countless other sites without official recognition represent the cultural heritage of communities. These include beloved establishments like Altadena Hardware, which served the community as 1934, the century-old restaurant Reel Inn, and the beloved roadside staple Cholada Thai in Malibu.
Rebuilding While Preserving Memories
The sheer scale of devastation poses a unique challenge for recovery efforts.
“It’s complete annihilation. There’s nothing standing at all, maybe a chimney,” says Fine. “it’s much more destructive in terms of the kinds of losses we’re seeing here, versus even things like [Hurricane] Katrina.
While Hurricane katrina caused widespread damage, many structures in New Orleans survived and rebuilding efforts focused on water damage and mold remediation. The California wildfires,though,have erased entire neighborhoods,leaving a profound void in the social and historical landscape.
Fine ponders whether communities should rebuild exactly as they were or embrace a fresh start. Benjamin Kahle, a realtor and member of the LA county Historical Landmark and Records commission, suggests exploring creative solutions.
“Perhaps there’s a series of models that a family could pick. There’s a batch of Spanish, Tudor, Craftsman, bungalow, whatever it might perhaps be. It doesn’t have to be overly elegant. You’re talking [about a] 14-2000 square-foot home. There’s probably a way to do it, to also make it energy efficient, but retain its historic nature in an economical way,” Kahle proposes.
The Weight of History
Replicating historical structures exactly may prove challenging due to evolving building codes and material changes.The Bel air Fire of 1961, for example, led to a ban on wood-shingle roofs. Modern innovations like vinyl windows and LED lights also influence the aesthetics of new construction.
As California faces this unprecedented challenge, the question remains: How do we ensure that the physical loss of these important sites doesn’t erase their memory? What innovative approaches can we embrace to honor the past while forging a path forward?
