As firefighters worked to contain multiple deadly fires across the Los Angeles area, the Sunset Fire broke out in the Hollywood Hills area late Wednesday evening, not far from the Hollywood Sign.
Images shared online suggested that the world-famous landmark had been engulfed by the flames.
The Claim
Multiple images circulating on social media platforms such as X, formerly Twitter, purported to show the iconic Hollywood Sign cloaked in or surrounded by flames.
Several users seemed to believe the posts were genuine, and the images and videos, apparently showing the landmark ablaze, were shared by a plethora of accounts on the platform.
The Facts
A map by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) shows that, at the time the article was written, the sign was not within the blaze area, and a reservoir stands between it and the fire.
Live cams of the famous landmark showed that it was not ablaze.
Several users also pointed out that the images of the Hollywood sign ablaze appear to be AI generated.
One image clearly displayed the Grok AI watermark in the bottom corner, suggesting it was created by the artificial intelligence chatbot developed by Elon Musk‘s company xAI.
HOLLYWOOD SIGN IS ON FIRE! pic.twitter.com/3WHpliQ76x
— We the People (@WTP_REPORT) January 7, 2025
This image also featured the sign with an additional letter, which read as “HOLLYWOODD,” rather than “HOLLYWOOD.”
After the images began to gain traction online, Raw Reporting posted an image of the sign to X, showing it to be intact.
“The Hollywood sign is not on fire, even though a new fire has started,” it said.
“Numerous news accounts and other pages are sharing fake AI-generated images claiming otherwise.”
The fake images and videos shared on X also received community notes clarifying that they were not authentic, and that the sign was not close to the current fire.
MUST SEE:The Hollywood sign is burning in the California fires. Do you think we are living in biblical times? pic.twitter.com/8WHVeaIwaw
— AmericanPapaBear (@AmericaPapaBear) January 9, 2025
“This is an AI generated image that has been presented as fact to mislead the audience,” read on such note.
“The Hollywood sign does not have any fire near it. 24/7 live camera support this evidence.”
The Ruling
False.
The images and videos circulating online were fake, as evidenced by the telltale signs of artificial intelligence generation.
At the time this article was written, the Sunset Fire had expanded to some 43 acres to the southwest of Hollywood Reservoir, according to a map from Watch Duty.
FACT CHECK BY Joe Edwards
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