Cultural and Historic Heritage Losses in the World: 2025 List
This article presents a compilation of fires and other causes of loss of historic or cultural heritage buildings that have...
Victorian Mansion demolished by Fire in the UK
Late on the night of 5 October 2025, Shotley Park in County Durham—once a grand Victorian mansion and latterly a...
The Montmedy 2025 strange coincidence fires
Between July 15 and August 12, 2025, two fires devastated historic buildings in Montmédy both of which have a shared...
Saint-Germain Église Fire: Another Historic Religious Site Arson
On September 29, 2025, the historic Église Saint-Germain, situated in La Châtre, Indre, France, suffered damage from a fire. The...
French Historic Castle Damaged by Fire
The Château de Médavy, a historic 18th-century classified monument situated near Argentan in the Orne department of Normandy, sustained severe...
The 2025 Cebu Earthquake: A Call to Action for Seismic Retrofitting of Historic Structures
On September 30, 2025, a devastating 6.9 magnitude earthquake reportedly struck Cebu province in the central Philippines, causing extensive structural...
Challenges and Solutions for Emergency Egress Simulation in Historic Buildings
Assessing fire safety in historic buildings requires a careful examination of occupant evacuation procedures, with a particular focus on the...
The Growing Threat of Arson Against Historic Places of Worship
Across continents and denominations, houses of worship (many of which are listed or historic buildings) are increasingly being targeted by...
Yemen’s Mud-Brick Palaces among Destruction and Restoration
Yemen’s historic mud-brick palaces and earthen architecture stand as remarkable and ancient built heritage, yet ongoing conflict, environmental damage, and...
Unrests Threatens Indonesian Heritage
Indonesia’s cultural heritage faces a critical crisis. Following the August 2025 mass protests, historic buildings and cultural sites, many repurposed...
Evacuated 30 Years of Archaeological Research in Gaza
In a high-risk, last-minute rescue operation, on September 10, 2025, nearly three decades’ worth of archaeological treasures have been salvaged...
The Mental Health Impact of Heritage Damage. The Rapa Nui Case
People dedicated to safeguarding cultural heritage often focuses on the physical preservation of sites and objects, but research is demonstrating...
Mount Sinai Mega Resort: Sacred Heritage at Risk amid Ambitious Tourism Boom
The project to build a mega resort on Mount Sinai, a site of profound religious and historical significance, has ignited...
Arson Threatens Historic Buildings across the UK: the Link to Dereliction
In recent times, there has been substantial media attention on the fate of derelict or abandoned historic buildings. A particularly...
Protecting Historic Buildings from Wildfires – Interventions on facades and roofs
Historic buildings can be exposed to risk by wildfires like any other building. In their case, though, vulnerability assessment should...
Mosul Grand Mosque reopened after IS devastation
On September 1, 2025, Iraq’s Prime Minister officially reopened the historic al-Nuri Grand Mosque and its iconic leaning minaret, located...
Review and Critique of UNESCO’s Fire Risk Management Guide
In a previous post (Fire Risk Management Guide (2024) Protecting Cultural and Natural Heritage from Fire) , this platform has briefly...
Vineyards: The last Barrier against Fire
The preservation of both tangible and intangible cultural heritage is a well-known concern, as everything is directly recognised as Culture....
Devastating fire destroyed the “Old London House” in Nainital (India)
A massive fire destroyed the Old London House in Nainital, Uttarakhand, a colonial wooden residence dating back to 1863 and...
Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Nantes to reopen after 2020 Arson
After a five-year restoration period, the Cathedral of Saints Peter and Paul in Nantes is set to reopen its doors to the public on...
The Neglected Fire Vulnerability of Historic Artefacts
The preservation of immovable cultural heritage in the face of fire hazards presents a unique and critical challenge due to...
Protecting World Heritage Sites: Safety Challenges Under Climate Stress
Climate change poses an escalating threat to UNESCO World Heritage sites worldwide, with 80% of cultural heritage sites already experiencing...
Portugal’s Historic Villages Under Siege by Wildfires
Wildfires are becoming an escalating threat to historic towns and villages in Portugal. Currently, several of these cherished settlements are...