Wildfires Are Erasing Family Histories—New Surge as People Race to Digitize Their Photos.
February 4, 2025 (Irvine, CA): The California wildfires and natural disasters were a wake-up call—people aren’t procrastinating anymore.
"As a photo archivist for 34 years, I’ve never seen such a dramatic shift in how families prioritize preserving their memories," said Mitch Goldstone, Chief Photo Archivist at ScanMYPhotos.com.
CBS Evening News captured the urgency (link below), and I can share firsthand stories of those who acted just in time—and those who didn’t
One ScanMyPhotos.com customer sent us about 10,000 film negatives for scanning just before the wildfires, then called in a panic to change the return address—their home had burned down. Others never got the chance, losing everything because they waited too long. These stories are heartbreaking but highlight a powerful trend: people realize their photo memories are at risk.
A leading photography expert just posted this PSA after a relative's home was destroyed, and they lost their photos. Another photo expert reported on how to digitize pictures.
For background, CBS Evening News profiled why two of our famous customers raced to digitize their historic photos; including 347,000 photos representing the history of the Cayman Islands which they are sharing on Instagram to much excitement.
This is a practical, step-by-step guide on how people can digitize their photos—before disaster strikes—and could save lifetimes of memories. This is a timely and real opportunity to educate and protect vintage photos.
Let me know if this sounds like a fit for you—I can share more details.
Mitch Goldstone, CEO, Chief Photo Archivist, ScanMyPhotos.com, 7 Corporate Park, Irvine, CA 92606. Email: Goldstone@ScanMyPhotos.com
