“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.

On March 19th, the Conservancy and World Monuments Fund (WMF) announced a coordinated effort, alongside the National Trust for Historic Preservation, to document and assess heritage sites affected by the fires which burned over 50,000 acres and destroyed more than 16,000 structures—inflicting a severe toll on the region’s cultural heritage.

This tragic loss of beloved homes, neighborhoods, legacy businesses, and many historic places has inspired community groups, coalitions, and organizations, such as the Conservancy, to develop innovative ideas and potential tools to help rebuild.

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 did not always account for heritage sites.

We engaged Architectural Resources Group (ARG) on a mapping project (below) as part of the first phase of this initiative to fully document the post-fire impacts of the Palisades and Eaton Fires on heritage resources, regardless of formal designation.

We collaborated 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.

This initiative builds on the efforts to ensure that 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 helps communities reclaim a sense of continuity and identity, both essential to long-term recovery.

Beyond this initial documentation phase, project efforts include in-depth structural assessments by architects and engineers to provide 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.

Disclaimer: Many of the resources on the map are assigned California Historical Resources Status Codes, which tell if a site is designated, eligible, or has another historic status. However, due to the the age of some survey data, these status codes may be out of date.

World Monuments Fund’s Crisis Response Program has been supported, in part, by the Donald A. Pels Charitable Trust, ALIPH, the Danny Kaye and Sylvia Fine Kaye Foundation, Denise Gwyn Ferguson, and other generous donors.

This project has been funded in part by a grant from the National Trust Preservation Fund of the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

People + Places – Virtual Event – Recording from March 12, 2025
ALTADENA: AFTER THE FIRE AND MOVING FORWARD
A conversation on how preservation and heritage can support Altadena’s recovery and rebuilding efforts after the devastating Eaton Fire.