StoryMap: Impact of California Wildfires on Historic Features

Across the United States, wildfire seasons have grown increasingly long, dangerous, and costly. As of 2019, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CalFire) noted that in terms of structures destroyed, 10 of the 20 most destructive fires in California had happened in the last four years. Of those 20 fires, 8 occurred in 2017 and 2018. Most experts attribute this upturn in wildfires to the influence of climate change. The American Meteorological Society have published their findings in the article The Extreme 2018 Northern California Fire Season and the report Explaining Extreme Events from a Climate Perspective.

Many historic properties are threatened, destroyed, or impacted in some way during these intensifying fire seasons. When damage or loss of these properties occurs because of wildfires or associated events, documentation of these places is vital in making decisions about their future. Records prepared by the National Park Service's Heritage Documentation Program (HDP) contain important information that can potentially be used to restore the site or structure.

HDP consists of the Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS). Documentation produced through the programs constitutes the nation's largest archive of historic architectural, engineering, and landscape documentation. The HABS/HAER/HALS Collection is available via the Library of Congress.

The programs create comprehensive documentation products of notable American buildings, engineering structures, and cultural landscapes across the country. They use 3D laser scans and field measurements to produce detailed measured drawings, create large-format photographs, and write historical reports that provide a lasting record of our country's shared heritage. The records serve as the primary (and sometimes only) documentation of the resource. Importantly, this documentation is part of the public domain, so anyone can use it.

This story map was created by the National Park Service's Cultural Resources GIS facility in consultation with Heritage Documentation Programs.

The Impacts of the California Wildfires on Historic Features (nps.gov)

To Use This Map:

You can navigate this map in-page or click “View full screen” to open in a larger window. To zoom in or out on a map, use the map controls or click directly on the map. To reset the map’s position, click on the 'Home' button (the little house). A drop-down legend is in the upper-right corner of the map. Clicking on highlighted text within the map will either take you to another view or link you to an external web page with additional information.