• Over 30 historic properties lost in the recent Palisades and Eaton wildfires.
• The loss is being termed the worst in the region's history by preservationists.
• Significant structures include Will Rogers' ranch home and the Bunny Museum.
• Many properties had landmark status and are cherished community landmarks.
• As climate change intensifies, historic preservation faces unprecedented challenges.

The recent wildfires in Los Angeles, known as the Palisades and Eaton fires, have resulted in the destruction of over 30 historic landmarks, lauded as the single worst loss of historically significant properties in the area’s recent memory. According to the Los Angeles Times, key structures that have been lost include Will Rogers’ ranch home, the Pasadena Waldorf School, and the Bunny Museum, among others.

“It’s staggering and heartbreaking — I don’t know any other way to put it,” commented Ken Bernstein, principal city planner at Los Angeles City Planning’s Office of Historic Resources. He emphasized the widespread destruction of cherished architecture and community spaces. The fires have also damaged more than 12,000 structures in total, and the final count of lost historical sites may continue to rise, leaving many preservationists gravely concerned.

As of now, the Los Angeles Conservancy has confirmed that 32 historic properties, acknowledged for their architectural and cultural significance, have fallen victim to the flames. While some well-known institutions like the Getty Villa were saved, many others endured severe but still uncertain fates.

Chairperson Adrian Scott Fine of the Conservancy expressed that this stands as “a mass erasure of heritage,” stressing that such extensive losses have not been witnessed previously. Properties with formal landmark status, like the Zane Grey Estate and Rogers’ Western-style home were among the most significant of the losses.

Though some historic structures were severely damaged but not entirely destroyed, such as Gladstones, a seaside restaurant, the Bunny Museum has announced their commitment to rebuild after losing about 46,000 objects from their collection.

Notable losses also include the Andrew McNally House, a Queen Anne-style mansion once listed on the National Register of Historic Places, known for its exquisite Turkish room, and the Zane Grey Estate, whose co-designer was renowned architect Myron Hunt. The estate held significant literary history as it belonged to the author of "Riders of the Purple Sage."

Moreover, the Palisades community experienced a loss of iconic public spaces with Rogers' ranch home, which served as a museum and preserved a collection of Western memorabilia. The California State Parks system managed to save some interior features but acknowledged the epic nature of the loss.

Efforts to catalog the destroyed historic buildings will take time, as Bernstein mentioned that the updated survey of historical places in the city is vital for preservationists and property owners to understand the full scope of what has been lost and what might still be salvaged.

The implications of this disaster extend beyond immediate property loss; it reflects a growing concern over the impact of climate change on historic preservation. “In today’s world, the quintessential threat to historic preservation is now the extreme climate event — not the bulldozer, but natural disasters,” Bernstein noted. This disaster represents an urgent call to reevaluate approaches toward cultural preservation amidst worsening environmental conditions. For more detailed insights, see the full coverage by South China Morning Post.