Los Angeles on Fire: Echoes of Mike Davis’s Warnings
Rosecrans Baldwin reflects on Mike Davis’s warnings as wildfires devastate Los Angeles, exploring the city’s vulnerabilities and the resilience of its people.
In the face of devastating wildfires, Rosecrans Baldwin's recent piece for GQ, “Was Mike Davis Right?”, asks profound questions about Los Angeles’ precarious relationship with its environment. Baldwin revisits the legacy of Mike Davis—author, urban theorist, and unapologetic critic of Southern California's urban sprawl—while chronicling the current wave of destruction that has left LA scorched and grieving.
Key Takeaways:
- Mike Davis’s Legacy: Known for City of Quartz and Ecology of Fear, Davis argued that LA’s design—sprawling suburbs, fire-prone luxury developments—made it uniquely vulnerable to recurrent ecological disasters. His controversial thesis, particularly in “The Case for Letting Malibu Burn,” questioned the ethics of rebuilding in high-risk zones.
- A City on Fire: Baldwin describes a Los Angeles overwhelmed by concurrent fires—the Palisades, Eaton, Creek, and others—turning neighborhoods into ash and leaving thousands displaced.
- Compassion Amid Crisis: Amid the destruction, Baldwin highlights stories of mutual aid and resilience, such as neighbors rallying with donations, emergency aid apps, and selfless acts of generosity in the face of institutional shortcomings.
LA Asks: Was Mike Davis Right?
As Los Angeles burns, the writer Rosecrans Baldwin hears echoes of the furious, compassionate late intellectual.
Rosecrans Baldwin
