World Monuments Fund (WMF) and the Los Angeles Conservancy are thrilled to announce a coordinated effort, alongside the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to document and assess heritage sites affected by the devastating wildfires that swept through Los Angeles County in January.
The fires, which burned over 50,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures, have inflicted a severe toll on the region’s cultural heritage.
As a first phase, we engaged Architectural Resources Group (ARG) on amapping project to document the post-fire impacts of the Palisades and Eaton Fires on heritage resources, regardless of formal designation.
Explore Fire Impact Maps for Palisades and Eaton Fires:
https://www.laconservancy.org/save-places/issues/recovery-and-rebuilding-after-historic-l-a-fires
We are proud to collaborate with community partners, including Altadena Heritage, on these efforts, and thank Los Angeles County and the City of Los Angeles for their assistance. This work represents a critical step towards ensuring that historic and cultural resources are recognized and considered in the county’s long-term recovery and reconstruction efforts.
“Fire is one of the greatest threats to heritage sites, capable of erasing centuries of history in a matter of hours,” said Bénédicte de Montlaur, President and CEO of World Monuments Fund. “As climate change accelerates the frequency and severity of wildfires, we must act swiftly to ensure that cultural landmarks are not left out of disaster response and recovery. Through this initiative with the L.A. Conservancy, WMF builds on our past crisis response efforts, ensuring that cultural heritage is prioritized in post-disaster recovery.”
Among the numerous historic sites lost are the Will Rogers Ranch House, a 31-room property listed in the National Register of Historic Places, and the Pasadena Jewish Temple & Center, a long-standing religious and cultural landmark in the region.
Immediately after the fires, the County of Los Angeles documented all properties affected, categorizing their condition from minor damage to total loss. Since the fires occurred in areas with varying levels of pre-existing historic resource data, the documentation efforts undertaken did not always account for heritage sites.
This initiative builds on the efforts to ensure that both well-known landmarks and underrecognized heritage are accounted for, in all of the areas affected by the fires. These efforts will play a vital role in the rebuilding process and help ensure that cultural heritage remains a cornerstone of recovery. Safeguarding these places help communities reclaim a sense of continuity and identity, both essential to long-term recovery.
“Protecting cultural heritage in the wake of a disaster is about more than just preserving buildings—it’s about protecting the stories and people, cultural traditions and shared intangible heritage that shape our communities,” said Adrian Scott Fine, President and CEO for the Los Angeles Conservancy. “Los Angeles has always been defined by its rich and layered history, and we are proud to partner with WMF, the National Trust, and our consultant team at Architectural Resources Group on this vital initiative to ensure that L.A’s diverse heritage is not lost in the aftermath of these devastating fires.”
Beyond this initial documentation phase, the project's efforts include in-depth structural assessments by architects and engineers, with the goal of providing guidance and resources for heritage-sensitive rebuilding. The Conservancy would also like to expand this effort to include a full community-wide survey of heritage resources throughout Altadena. By integrating cultural heritage into Los Angeles’ disaster response, this initiative will help safeguard the city’s history and identity for generations to come.
To learn more about WMF’s crisis response work, visit: www.wmf.org/programs/crisis-response-program. To see the full announcement press release, click here.