The Fires in Los Angeles: Key Narratives Shaping Online Conversations

As wildfires continue to sweep across Los Angeles, devastating landscapes and forcing evacuations, the online response has been swift and multifaceted. From January 7th to January 10th, PeakMetrics tracked 13 prominent narratives emerging around the fires. These narratives, spanning climate change, leadership controversies, conspiracy theories, and viral AI-generated imagery, reveal how such crises become fertile ground for false narratives, political debates, and social commentary. Below are the most popular narratives shaping the conversation:

1. Climate Change Dominates the Narrative (36%)

The most-mentioned theme tied to the fires was climate change. Posts highlighting the broader climate crisis, with some pointing to actions by climate protestors as a reaction to the disaster. The fires became a rallying point for discussions about environmental policy.

2. DEI and Leadership Controversies (20%)

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion topics ranked second. Notable accounts like LibsofTikTok sparked heated discussions by linking perceived failures of the Los Angeles Fire Department to its all-female leadership team, and inferring the sexual orientation of these leaders. This theme also prompted broader discussions about affirmative action policies in firefighting recruiting, hiring, and promotions. 

3. Arson Allegations Gain Traction (11%)

Questions about arson emerged as a significant theme, particularly on January 9th, when these posts surged to become the second most-discussed topic. Speculation about arson or arsonists setting the fires reflected a recurring trend during wildfire crises, where blame often shifts to deliberate human actions despite limited evidence.

4. Fire Department Budget Cuts Spark Debate (9%)

Among the political topics, the narrative with the highest number of posts was that the Mayor and City Council had defunded or cut the fire department’s budget. This theme outpaced other political narratives, including critiques of Governor Gavin Newsom’s water policies and federal response comparisons to disasters in other states, like North Carolina. The budget topic gained traction across the political spectrum, resonating with both left-wing and right-wing audiences for different reasons. Left-wing accounts tied this claim to complaints about police funding, while right-wing accounts used the claim to attack the mayor and the LA city government. 

5. Conspiracy Theories and Hollywood Tunnels (QAnon-Linked 4%)

Notably, posts about the fire and tunnels—tying the event to QAnon-related conspiracy theories involving Diddy, Hollywood child sex rings, and celebrities allegedly destroying evidence of crimes—garnered nearly 100,000 mentions from Jan 7th to Jan 10th. The volume of posts about this conspiracy theory far exceeded those discussing the Hollywood sign burning or claims that Governor Newsom should have redirected water from the Pacific Ocean to fight the fires. Many of these posts referenced Ally Carter, whose videos claim to expose the Hollywood sex ring she purportedly escaped.

6. Fire Insurance Denials and Threats Against Executives (5%)

Posts about fire insurance denials accounted for roughly 5% of the conversation, with nearly 4% of these posts specifically mentioning State Farm. Among the insurance-related posts, several referenced Luigi—the United Healthcare CEO shooter—implying threats of violence against insurance company executives over fire claim denials.

Honorable Mention: Viral AI-Generated Imagery: The Hollywood Sign Hoax

One of the most viral moments during the fires revolved around an AI-generated image of the Hollywood sign appearing to burn. This claim gained rapid traction, with posts on X (formerly Twitter) spreading faster than debunking efforts could keep up.

• At its peak, the false claim generated ~5,100 posts per hour, compared to only ~1,600 posts per hour debunking it.
• Despite the debunking efforts, 36% of posts shared the original media, further amplifying the hoax.

This incident underscores the dangers of viral AI-generated imagery. While accurate information eventually prevails, the delay allows misinformation to spread unchecked, shaping public perceptions in real time.

The Los Angeles fires reveal how crises are increasingly shaped by competing narratives online. From environmental debates to politically charged accusations, false narratives, and conspiracy theories, these narratives influence public understanding and response.

As we face future climate-related disasters, platforms like PeakMetrics play a critical role in identifying emerging narratives, deciphering their impact, and defending against harmful narratives. By tracking these conversations, we can better understand the dynamics of public discourse.