[Un]reasonably outraged by the LA fires conspiracy theories
Two little giveaways that this is AI: 1) GROK watermark (the AI chatbot affiliated with X) and 2) The extra ‘D’
I’ve never been one for conspiracy theories. In fact, I tend to bolt the moment suspicion or cynicism creeps into a big news story. The Covid lockdowns were a minefield of conspiracies that tore communities apart.
This summer, I watched in horror as the LA fires destroyed parts of the city. At first, I’ll admit, I was drawn to the celebrity homes—it’s weirdly personal to watch people you "know," even though you really don’t. But the scale of the destruction, the rapid spread of the fires, and the aftermath were both devastating and strangely addictive.
I’m from a high fire-risk area, so I’m always on edge during fire season. We’re quick to decide whether to evacuate or stay put, watching for any signs of danger. So, naturally, I wanted to hear others’ stories—learn from them in case something like this ever happened to us.
But as I watched those news reports, my feed morphed. Suddenly, I was deep in LA-related anecdotes, which quickly spiralled into conspiracy theories. With some lazy summer days to fill, I followed them down rabbit holes—tunnels, you might even say.
Have you heard some of the conspiracy theories of the LA fires? I’m reluctant to add to the discourse but they feel laughable to me so maybe you’ll get a chuckle out of it too.
1. The fires were the “government’s” way of clearing land to create smart cities.
What’s a smart city? It’s a place that uses technology and data to make life safer, more convenient, and sustainable. Think free public Wi-Fi, smart parking, air quality monitors, and digital kiosks—all designed to improve daily life and help make better decisions for the city. A key idea behind it is the 15-minute city, where everything you need—work, healthcare, education, leisure—is within a 15-20 minute walk, bike ride, or public transport trip, making the city more connected and efficient.
Conspiracy theorists argue that the government is using this as a way to track our every move (I mean, have you checked your social media or GPS recently?) and keep us confined to one area for total control. Honestly, all I can picture is that Homer Simpson movie dome.
It's all false. Fact check here.
2. They were deliberately lit, starting at Sean “Diddy” Combs’ house to destroy evidence.
If you’ve been following the Combs’ case, you know he’s facing criminal charges related to sexual abuse and other crimes. The internet is full of wild claims that he had tunnels under his house for drug and child trafficking. The theory goes that the fires were set to destroy evidence of his crimes and these tunnels. But here’s the catch—his house didn’t burn down. And even if it did, that only exposes the tunnels, right? So, uh... nice try, conspiracy theorists.
3. They were the result of extreme environmental policies.
Whenever Donald Trump and Elon Musk jump on a theory, you know things are about to get questionable. Sure, there were water issues during the fires—specifically, how much was needed in a short time, which affected water pressure. But the idea that this was a deliberate move by “greenies” trying to save fish? Come on.
There were many factors that contributed to the devastation of the LA fires, and spreading false information only fuels fear and suspicion during an already emotional time. With AI, it’s easier than ever to create fake photos—like the Hollywood sign on fire—so unless you’re fact-checking, it’s easy to fall for these conspiracy theories.
To stop my feed from being flooded with these ridiculous posts, I retrained my algorithm. On Insta, I used the “X” to remove untrustworthy content, reported problematic posts, and selected “see less” on questionable reels. I also made sure to “like” reputable news sources and experts. If you’re interested in how to do this, I found this article useful and in fact the Polymathic Being Substack is a fascinating one.
It was a reminder to curate my feed—something I wrote about back in April 2024 when my daughter got Instagram, but it applies to all of us. Misinformation is dangerous and feeds into our fears. So, while I found the conspiracy theories amusing, I stay skeptical and try to think critically. Getting stuck in an internet rabbit hole isn’t healthy for anyone.
(Although now I’m keen to read about the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni lawsuits!)
What’s the most ludicrous conspiracy theory you’ve heard lately? Join the conversation.
Kylie
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