They are neighboring houses. So far, they are safe.

I'm on pins and needles - a friend has already lost their house in Altadena, another is packed and ready to go if/when, and other friends/family are impacted by air quality but likely safe unless something even more crazy happens. The destruction is horrible.

Lived in Southern CA for 30 years and lived along the Cleveland National Forest. I don't miss the fires.

I hate the thought of historic sites being destroyed, but these are just buildings. I knew families who lost family members and families who lost pets and families who lost their home and all the family photos and rememberances that can never be replaced.

Praying that people are safe. The rest isn't all that important.

From the LA Times (Thursday 1/9)

”Eames House: The historic 1949 home — formally known as Case Study House No. 8 — has been unharmed by the wildfires so far. Eames Foundation founder Lucia Atwood, granddaughter of legendary designer Charles Eames, confirmed the house’s states as of noon Wednesday. “Windblown fires continue to claim other homes in the community and bring the fires nearer,” she said by email. “We are closely monitoring the situation and the Eames Foundation has taken every precaution to protect the site.” The foundation’s team removed some objects from the house on Tuesday before evacuating the building themselves.”

Eames House and other L.A. cultural gems threatened by fire: status updates

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2025-01-08/eames-house-getty-villa-huntington-gamble-house-museums-fire-updates

Praying that people are safe. The rest isn't all that important.

1,000 amens to that notion @Jennifer Hogan.

I also read about the destruction of the historic Andrew McNally (atlas) mansion which was an Altadena landmark and privately owned. Of course, it in no way compares to loss of life but it is still a loss.

https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2021/10/05/andrew-mcnallys-former-altadena-mansion-sells-for-3-million/

They mentioned the historic houses on the Today Show. What a shame.

I don't see anything wrong with bringing up historic architecture during the fire. These homes are significant to architectural history. They are not "just buildings." It does not mean someone does not have any empathy for the people that have lost their home, a family member or pet. Each loss is tragic. Our homes are more often than not our safe places. Even the historic ones.

You know, there is allowed to be more than one type of tragedy in an event like this.

So true.

Apparently, most of the deaths (relatively few, given the scope of this disaster overall) of regular citizens are of people who stayed too long trying to save their houses or things, or refused to leave their homes by choice--with some exceptions.

So that shows how complex something like this is. It's not "just buildings" or just Anything.

I doubt that the majority of people who evacuated and were not in a life or death situation who have lost everything they know are feeling "just happy to be alive" right now. Of course they are happy to be alive. But they have an awful lot to feel despondent about.

I am watching "A Gentleman in Moscow," and the main character said something about his belongings holding his memories. I.e that things are not just "things." I was trying to look up the exact line and came across this explanation.

the concept of memories and things is central to the story, as the protagonist, Count Rostov, is forced to live a life confined to a luxury hotel, relying heavily on the richness of his past experiences and the objects around him to maintain his sense of self and dignity, even as the world outside drastically changes around him; essentially, his life becomes a tapestry woven from memories and the details of his surroundings within the hotel.

PS I did not like the book but, one episode in, I do like the series. It skews a but YA to me but I am always a sucker for historical fiction.

Yes - in the same vein, I recall a remark from an episode of This American Life that stuck with me all these years - something to the effect that inanimate objects are witnesses to history, witnesses to our past.

I know our family went through - is still going through - the emotional struggle of losing so much of our material past from the 2 hurricanes here. I cannot count how many things I touched while cleaning out our family homes that brought back half-forgotten memories of happier times and people we loved.

The loss of a landmark is a potential loss to national heritage, which is something that you can feel even if you don't personally know anyone who lost everything or lost a life as the result of a disaster.

Pal , a few disabled people died awaiting emergency transportation, as well as ones who waited too long.

The loss of life is not less respected when one also acknowledges that the loss of memories, history and vegetation is also tragic.

Yes, that is why I said "with some exceptions".