By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-13 11:31:33 | Updated at 2025-01-13 17:17:47
5 hours ago
As Los Angeles firefighters continue to battle deadly wildfires, authorities were forced to confront wild conspiracies - including a claim that firefighters are using 'women's handbags' to douse the flames.
Disgraced Sandy Hook truther Alex Jones made the assertion on Thursday, sharing video of fire crews carrying bags filled with water. He claimed the department needed to use the 'women's handbags' because it sent supplies over to war-torn Ukraine.
But LA Fire Department Chief Erik Scott, a public information officer, has since explained to the Wall Street Journal that the so-called handbags were actually canvas bags fire departments regularly use to put out small fires, as they are easier and faster than having to connect hoses.
Other rumors that have emerged online include an AI-generated image of the Hollywood sign ablaze - though eagle-eye users noticed that the sign added an extra 'L' into the name of the city.
As the rumors spread, Scott was forced to take to X late Friday night to dispel misinformation, including that the LA Fire Department was so ill-equipped to deal wit the rampant fires that it was recruiting members of the general public to help put out the flames, which Scott said was 'baseless.'
'We don't want all of that noise getting to the public,' Scott said. 'We want to get them signal that is going to help them evacuate and potentially save lives.'
LA Fire Department Chief Erik Scott, a public information officer, has had to confront online conspiracy theories about the raging wildfires in the area
On Thursday, Alex Jones claimed the fire department needed to use 'women's handbags' to fight the fires because it sent supplies over to war-torn Ukraine
But, Scott also suggested he did not want to spend all of his time addressing baseless theories.
'We're trying to battle the most devastating natural disaster in Los Angeles history,' he told the Journal.
'It takes people and time to track down and debunk social media rumors and it takes us away from doing more important things,' he bemoaned as the three wildfires wiped out an estimated 40,300 acres of land and 12,300 homes and other structures.
The blazes have also forced 180,000 people to evacuate, and have caused at least $135billion in damages, which would top the damage from any hurricane to hit the United States except for Katrina in 2005, according to the BBC.
Part of the problem is that wildfires tend to spur confusion, whether it is someone exaggerating the size of a blaze at night, when it's harder to assess, or people sharing inaccurate evacuation orders, according to US Forest Service spokesman John Miller.
He said much of the confusion stems from people at home listening to police scanners, and only hearing small snippets.
'If you're at home listening on the radio, you're going to take that as gospel,' Miller explained.
The rumors come as firefighters continue to battle the deadly wildfires in Los Angeles County
The three wildfires wiped out an estimated 40,300 acres of land and 12,300 homes and other structures
Some influential people are also spreading the rumors, including President-elect Donald Trump, who claimed on Truth Social that California Governor Gavin Newsom refused to sign a 'water restoration declaration' that would have brought more water to the LA area.
'Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.'
'He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn't work!), but didn't care about the people of California,' the statement continued.
'Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this. On top of it all, no water for fire hydrants, not firefighting planes. A true disaster!'
It was then shared by X CEO Elon Musk, to his 212million followers.
Newsom was then forced to counter the accusations, with a spokesperson saying: 'There is no such document as the water restoration declaration – that is pure fiction.
'The Governor is focused on protecting people, not playing politics, and making sure firefighters have all the resources they need.'
Wildfires tend to spur confusion, whether it is someone exaggerating the size of a blaze at night, when it's harder to assess, or people sharing inaccurate evacuation orders, according to US Forest Service spokesman John Miller
Fire crests the hills behind Pacific Palisades Saturday morning
Then when Happy Days star Henry Winkler claimed on X that the fires were being started by an arsonist, the LA Fire Department had to explain that it was still unclear how the fires broke out.
Even though police took a man into custody over possible arson near where a fire erupted on Thursday, officials said they lacked the probable cause to arrest him on arson charges and instead arrested him on a probation violation.
'We've got to deal with this misinformation,' Newsom said during a remote meeting with President Joe Biden on Friday, according to Newsweek.
'There were hurricane-force winds of mis- and disinformaton, lies,' he claimed.
'People want to divide this country and we're going to have to address that as well.
'And it breaks my heart, as people are suffering and struggling, there we're up against those hurricane forces as well.'
