This Video Does Not Show Actual Fires in Los Angeles

Misbar investigated the circulating video and found the claim to be fake.

Misbar's team found the video is generated by AI. An account called “Jameszane” shared a video on Instagram that was created using artificial intelligence. It was labeled with " AIDesign" to show it was made with AI technology, along with "luma_ai" an AI model.

Temporary Relief from Winds Aids Firefighters Battling Devastating Los Angeles Wildfires

A break in the strong winds fueling deadly wildfires in and around Los Angeles has given crews an opportunity to make headway in their battle against the blazes, which have ravaged multiple areas across the nation’s second-largest city.

By Friday, five separate fires had scorched over 14,000 hectares (35,000 acres), according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire). Officials report that the two most significant, the Palisades and Eaton fires, are already among the most destructive in Los Angeles history.

“We are doing everything we can to bring the situation under control, and we have seen some success,” said Mayor Karen Bass at a news conference. “We expect potential increases in wind strength at the beginning of next week, and it is our top priority to prepare Los Angeles and do everything possible to save lives.”

As of Friday morning, the Palisades Fire in the coastal Pacific Palisades neighborhood was 8 percent contained, while the Eaton Fire in Altadena was only 3 percent contained, as per Cal Fire. “It’s not as gusty, which should help firefighters hopefully,” National Weather Service meteorologist Allison Santorelli noted regarding the forecast, while emphasizing that fire conditions remain critical due to low humidity and dry vegetation.

However, this temporary reduction in wind is anticipated to provide much-needed support for ground firefighters, allowing aircraft to effectively drop water and fire retardant on the burning hills. “There’s a bit of good news, if there can be,” Santorelli added.

LA Fire Chief Blames Budget Cuts for Struggles Against Wildfires

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley asserts that city officials have let her department down by cutting its budget by $17 million, a decision that is now hindering the agency's ability to combat the ongoing wildfires in the county. According to the fire chief, over 100 fire apparatus are currently out of service. The budget reductions eliminated civilian roles, such as mechanics, which has significantly impacted their capacity to repair equipment. Crowley shared these concerns during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on Friday afternoon.

The fire chief has submitted several interim budgets to illustrate how “understaffed, under-resourced, and underfunded” the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) is, providing data that indicates the agency “needs help.” This data also reveals that the department requires 62 additional fire stations.

Crowley noted that the agency has experienced a 55% increase in call volume since 2010, yet it has fewer firefighters to respond. “Bringing in additional resources will assist us with this current disaster,” she stated. “However, in the future, similar situations could arise anywhere in Los Angeles, and we need to be fully funded and supported.”

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