Los Angeles firefighters are courageously battling blazes that continue to threaten communities. Meanwhile, misinformation and bigoted criticism from prominent right-wing figures are complicating the situation. These figures have spread false allegations about the causes of the fires and criticized the response efforts from local and state officials. Claims falsely suggest that diversity within the Los Angeles Fire Department is to blame for the fires' severity.
Right-wing media and commentators have targeted Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom, accusing them of mismanagement. Unrelated financial aid to Ukraine has also become a scapegoat, with allegations that such donations detracted from resources necessary to combat the blazes. Andy Biggs, a Republican congressman from Arizona, falsely claimed that FEMA redirected funds meant for natural disasters to migrants—a statement previously debunked during the North Carolina hurricane response.
The narrative further includes false claims that the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget experienced significant cuts, exacerbating the situation. Donald Trump Jr. suggested that donations the department made to Ukraine in 2022 were connected to their current response capabilities. Such assertions have been echoed with inflammatory rhetoric, including hashtags like "#DEI must DIE," implying that diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives are responsible for the fires.
"DEI will get people k*illed. DEI must DIE."
Elon Musk briefly contributed to these unfounded claims by responding "True" to a tweet linking diversity initiatives to the fires, though he later deleted the post. This misinformation reflects similar narratives that emerged during past natural disasters, deflecting from the role of climate change in amplifying such events. These misleading statements have gained millions of views, undermining efforts to address the real challenges at hand.
Infowars host Alex Jones added fuel to the fire by erroneously claiming that President Joe Biden had grounded firefighting plans, suggesting a "globalist plot" intended to wage economic warfare through deliberate fire spreading. These baseless claims echo previous misinformation campaigns seen during hurricanes in North Carolina and other disasters.