Look twice before sharing those viral LA fire videos. Many aren't real
The ongoing wildfires in the Los Angeles area have spurred a flurry of false and misleading claims online. As often happens in the wake of major news events, much of that misinformation is in the form of miscaptioned media: Pictures and videos presented as being connected to the LA fires that are actually digital fabrications or from prior events.
The wildfires are only partially contained as of Jan. 15 and have destroyed or damaged more than 12,000 homes, businesses and other structures. They've also killed at least 25 people, according to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner's Office. About 82,400 county residents remained under mandatory evacuation orders and another 90,400 were under evacuation warnings, Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna said.
Here's a roundup of checks about the Los Angeles fires from the Paste BN Fact Check Team:
Fact-check roundup: Which claims about LA fires are true or false? The latest fact-check roundup
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The claim: Video shows 'fire tornadoes' in California
Our rating: False
The clip was not filmed in California. It shows a pair of fire whirls from the Remington Fire, which began in August 2024 and burned through parts of Wyoming and Montana.
Full fact check: These 'fire tornadoes' are from 2024 Wyoming blaze, not LA fires
Claim: Image shows Sean 'Diddy' Combs' mansion destroyed by 2025 California fires
Our rating: False
The picture doesn't show Sean "Diddy" Combs' mansion. It shows a home destroyed by a fire outside of Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2014.
Full fact check: Photo of burned Ohio mansion falsely linked to Diddy amidst 2025 fires
Claim: GoPro firefighter footage is from January 2025 Los Angeles fires
Our rating: False
The footage in the post is not associated with the Los Angeles wildfires that began in January 2025. It was posted online before the fires started.
Full fact check: GoPro firefighting video predates 2025 Los Angeles fires
Claim: Video shows man saving bunny during 2025 Los Angeles fires
Our rating: False
The video wasn't captured during the January 2025 fires in Los Angeles. It dates back to December 2017 when a wildfire spread across Ventura County, California.
Full fact check: Video of man saving bunny captured seven years before 2025 Los Angeles fires
Claim: Image shows car, mansions burned during California wildfires
Our rating: Manipulated media
The image is fabricated and originated from the Instagram account of an artist who labeled it that way.
Full fact check: This viral image doesn't show Los Angeles wildfire damage. It's a fabrication
Claim: LAPD sought three 'persons of interest' in fires tied to MAGA website
Our rating: False
The Los Angeles Police Department hasn't made any statements about "persons of interest" related to a MAGA website. The Los Angeles Fire Department said it is still investigating the cause of the fires as of Jan. 13.
Full fact check: LAPD hasn't linked LA fires to MAGA, cause of blaze unknown
Claim: California blocked 60 Oregon fire trucks from entering state over emissions
Our rating: False
The claim is wrong on multiple fronts. No fire engines were prevented from entering California, and none of those vehicles underwent any type of emissions tests, according to Cal Fire and the Oregon State Fire Marshal.
Full fact-check: No, California didn't block fire trucks from Oregon over emissions rules
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