By Alec Fernandes
Numerous conspiracy theories are circulating the web as news coverage of the Los Angeles wildfires shows untouched trees standing among burned-down houses. A growing number of posts are pointing to this as evidence of a directed attack against America's second-largest city.
One of the more common theories is that the fires ravaging Southern California are the result of directed-energy weapons, or DEWs. Some even claim that such attacks leave objects of certain colors unscathed, and to look out for unburned blue items.
Similar rumors appeared in the wake of Hawaii's destructive Lahaina wildfire in 2023, with one user on X writing that the current situation in LA "mirrors what happened in Lahaina" and elsewhere. However, it isn't uncommon for trees to survive intense flames due to evolutionary advantages, such as thick bark and nonflammable sap. There are also other images (source) of the disaster that show palm trees burning, suggesting the fire doesn't discriminate.
The ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles have killed at least 16 people, and over 100,000 residents have received evacuation orders.