IT'S ALL GONE
1/17/20253 min read
"It’s All Gone"
Even as the Los Angeles wildfires rage on, their devastating impact is already undeniable. Homes and businesses have been reduced to ash. Schools, supermarkets, and houses of worship have been obliterated.
Beyond the physical destruction, the fires have stolen something far less tangible but equally profound: the sense of community. What makes a community? While it often revolves around physical spaces, it also exists in the shared connections, emotions, and relationships between its members and their surroundings.
Angeles residents have already started mourning what these blazes have erased, from the Pacific Palisades along the coast to Altadena, a historically significant East Side neighborhood with a vibrant Black middle class. The losses range from beloved local landmarks like fish tacos at the Reel Inn, pancakes at Fox’s, and the Bunny Museum, to hiking trails, synagogues, and even a pet supply store specializing in backyard chickens. The extent of the destruction is still being tallied, and with new fires igniting daily, the heartbreak deepens.
The Personal and Collective Toll
The devastation is both intimate and communal. One recent example comes from a coach for the Lakers, who spoke about losing his rented home and all his family’s possessions. Despite this personal loss, his greatest grief came from the destruction of the local community—the churches, schools, library, and recreation center where his children once played. “It just hurts to lose that,” he said. His words raise an essential question: What is a neighborhood without the spaces that define it?
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A City Constantly Reinventing Itself
Los Angeles, with its history of transformation—from Indigenous land to Spanish and Mexican territory, and finally to an American metropolis—has always been in flux. Known for its sprawling urban landscape and susceptibility to natural disasters, the city seems less permanent than many others.
As someone who grew up in the Pacific Palisades in the 1990s, I witnessed firsthand how change shaped the neighborhood. Over time, cherished landmarks—a local bookshop, a diner—vanished, replaced by something new. Each disappearance felt like a small wound, a reminder of how fragile and fleeting a sense of place can be. Today, those changes aren’t gradual but sudden and all-encompassing, threatening to erase entire neighborhoods’ civic identities.
To Rebuild or Not?
Some argue that rebuilding in fire-prone areas isn’t worth the risk, referencing the eco-critic Mike Davis’s 1998 essay, The Case for Letting Malibu Burn. Yet Malibu has always returned after each blaze, and these neighborhoods will likely follow suit. New schools, churches, and recreation centers will rise. Los Angeles has long been a symbol of Resilience.
However, the next versions of these communities—Pacific Palisades, Altadena—will inevitably differ. Whether they remain accessible to middle-class families is an open question. What is certain is that these neighborhoods won’t feel the same for years to come.
Looking Ahead
The road to recovery will require mourning, collaboration, and immense effort. But with thoughtful planning, government support, and the collective determination of its residents, Los Angeles has an opportunity to rebuild better, creating communities more resilient to the challenges of a changing climate.
For over a century, Los Angeles has been a city of dreams, and even amid the ashes, its residents can begin to dream again—this time for something brighter, safer, and more enduring.
Key Updates:
Winds have subsided, giving firefighters the upper hand against the two largest wildfires.
Displaced residents may not return for weeks.
Officials warn of contaminated water, urging reliance on bottled water as harmful chemicals linger.
Aid groups emphasize the need for monetary donations rather than clothing.
A local eighth grader has started a donation drive for teenagers impacted by the fires, with contributions from Ariana Grande and others.
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