The urgent need for heritage resilience in natural disasters
Aerial view of the Pacific Palisades following the LA wildfires in January 2025. Photo: Nearmap
The recent wildfires in Los Angeles serve as a stark reminder of the vulnerability of both natural and built environments, writes GML Principal Rachel Jackson, raising pressing questions about how we protect significant places from destruction.
In the face of escalating climate challenges, the intersection of heritage conservation and disaster preparedness has never been more urgent.
In January 2025, we watched in disbelief as frightening visuals of wildfires devastated suburban areas of Los Angeles. The destruction created palpable fear and shock, highlighting the alarming reality that wildfires can cross the boundary between the natural and urban environments.
The aftermath of the devastating LA fires was extensively documented through footage and photo essays, capturing the sheer intensity and scale of the catastrophe—an undeniable conflict between nature and culture.
In June 2023, I wrote a brief piece about my experience at the Getty Conservation Institute, reflecting on LA’s natural environment—its canyons and the towering eucalypts that provide respite from the vast urban sprawl and complex web of freeways. A highlight of my time in LA involved exploring its many historic buildings and witnessing the pride taken by active heritage advocacy groups in protecting these places. Now, I wonder what kind of disaster preparedness was in place to safeguard these significant heritage sites and the built environment.
Like Californians, many Australians have experienced bushfires firsthand, with the 2019–2020 Black Summer Bushfires being particularly devastating, and tragically, with the loss of human lives and culturally significant heritage places. These events are occurring more frequently and remain unpredictable in their intensity and impact. Sadly, they are constant reminders of the urgent need to care for our natural environment and acknowledge their undeniable link to the human-caused climate crisis.
At GML, we understand the importance of preparing for disasters before they strike. Through our work in heritage risk assessments, conservation management planning, and climate adaptation strategies, we develop policies and guidelines that can help to safeguard the places that connect communities to their history. As extreme weather events become more frequent, proactive risk management and disaster planning with communities is essential for building heritage resilience, to protect natural and cultural heritage from complete loss in future disasters.
Fire encroaches on the historic Getty Villa during the LA wildfires in January 2025. Photo by David Swanson/AFP via Getty Images
