©Alysworth Kleihauer, Hollywood Hills Fire, 1970

I am sharing a photograph that my uncle took in 1970, when the Hollywood Hills were ravaged by fire. It was a devastating loss to Los Angeles as we consider the charred remains of what once was. I am sharing this photograph with the desire to bring hope to the city I love so much, because this landscape is vastly different today, filled with beautiful homes, mature trees, and green….though still very much under threat of a recurrence.

The Musician John Mayer shared this on instagram:

This is the most valuable thing I own. It’s a folder of photos of my father, spanning his life from being a baby, an educator, a husband and a father. It’s the only evidence of his life that will exist over time. These are the “documents” you read about people taking from their homes. When you hear someone say they’ve lost everything in a fire, this is much of that everything, if not all of it. Those who say they’ll be okay still have their folders and their albums. Those who are inconsolable have lost them. Just behind the immeasurable loss of life is the loss of the proof of life. I don’t practice prayer but tonight I will say one for everyone who no longer has these items. It’s not about the art and the collectibles. It’s the photos, the letters, the class rings, the eyeglasses and the things we keep to remind us that those we loved were here. May those who have lost so much find some semblance of hope and support from their family and friends. Stay safe, look out for yourself and for one another, and trust that humanity and all it entails, though sometimes hard to see, is alive and well. This is truly devastating.

We are lucky to be part of an incredibly supportive and generous community. Several photo organizations are working on ways to support photographers who have lost everything. For now, here are some ideas for helping:

https://laist.com/news/climate-environment/how-to-help-la-fire-victims

https://www.vogue.com/article/california-wildfires-how-to-help

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-08/how-to-help-victims-of-pacific-palisades-eaton-and-hurst-fires

https://apnews.com/article/california-wildfires-palisades-eaton-los-angeles-21ca02ac9b897fd1eddef8c5e8dd3c25

©Aline Smithson, from the Certainty of Being Uncertain.

Stay safe. You are not alone. Reach out if you need help or a hug.