Rumor, innuendo, and conspiracy theories spread on the internet like wildfire. And the latest have to do with the real life wildfires that are decimating California and other areas of the West Coast. As the fires rage unchecked, posts have lit up social media that accuse Antifa, the well-known far left anarchist group, of setting them.
The FBI said it has investigated several such claims as have fire officials in Oregon and Washington.
While most of these unsubstantiated claims blamed far-left Antifa activists, there were fewer, but additional claims, that the far-right group, the Proud Boys, was responsible for fires, which have killed at least 24 people across Oregon, Washington and California.
Fire officials and the FBI have said all such claims are untrue. The Mason County Sheriff’s Office urged Washington residents to stop spreading rumors, as isolated incidents of apparent arson led to widespread, unfounded claims that Antifa agitators were conspiring to start fires along the West Coast.
“Though some agencies have made arrests related to arson recently, they appear to all be separate individuals, however as with many incidents, it will be an ongoing investigation in each jurisdiction,” the agency wrote on Facebook.
The FBI said it worked with local authorities to investigate claims that extremists set the wildfires, and also found them to be false.
While some arson arrests have been made, it is not yet clear how all the scores of wildfires setting the West Coast of the US ablaze, started.
The scientific community believes that changes in weather patterns due to global warming have created conditions that have caused the forests of the West Coast to be a tinder box. Meanwhile, President Trump has gone on record as saying that the fires are mostly due to “poor land management practices” engaged in by the areas Democratic governors.
What do you think is causing the California wildfires? Global warming, poor land management by Democratic governors, or deliberate arson by Antifa or other domestic extremists? Reply using the comments below.
I appreciate your fairness of the article after the inflammatory headline. Also, FYI, the federal government manages 45% of the land in California so maybe Trump should grab a rake.
I am from Southern California until 2004. I watched the Environmentalist years ago stop all large fire breaks from being maintained because of protecting wild life. That included government land. So you must not be aware of that impact on forest management. There is no forest management in California. I had a vacation home there that backed up to federal land and watched this happen. I almost lost that home because of a fire on the federal land. Thanks to the fire department the place was saved, but the fire got within 100 yards.
It is NOT the fault of Trump. California is responsible for their state!!!
Or maybe you should !!
The problem in California, and Oregon as well, is a result of decades of mismanagement. Not the last four years.
I believe that they are caused in part by poor land manage to, natural causes like lightening strikes and people’s natural stupidity.
I am from Southern California. I moved to Texas in 2004. Many years before the move I watched the environmentalist take over to keep the large fire breaks from being continued because of Beatles, Rats and Mice having their space being damaged. Therefore, you know my answer is no forest management at all in California.
I believe that droughts have caused a lot of the problems with the wildfires. However, if the states of California, Oregon, and Washington had managed their forests and had cleared the dead trees that have died because of the droughts that have occurred over the past few years, the fires could have been controlled much easier. Climate change might be occurring but it is inconceivable that President Trump is responsible for causing the fires. The governors of the states involved should step up and take responsible for managing their states.
Mismanagement of forests. Worked almost 30years with Forest Service.
Good forest practices used to reduce fuel loads were thwarted or outright prohibited by environmentalists.
IF the fires are being started deliberately, I am sure the professionals investigating that possibility KNOW and are stealthily taking action to bring the soulless monsters to justice. IF it’s Nature, we deserve it for not having taken the necessary precautions/actions in our ever changing world of global warming. We are all suffering the effects of PTSD from the pandemic, bad government, and the lack of racial empathy. What a year! One thing is for certain. We MUST work together as Americans to correct these wrongs. Many may have forgotten or weren’t alive at the time, but WE THE PEOPLE are stronger than any force on this planet.
Arson by far left agitators.
I have no doubt that “extremists” caused much of the fires. There was one instance posted by a person that was using a satellite to monitor earthquakes and lava activity in the U.S , and observed several fires being started simultaneously MILES apart at the same time..This in my opinion, sounds like a “group effort” to push the FAUX “climate change” agenda, and have no doubts that soros (and his money) was “bankrolling” it.
I would NOT rely on the “FBI” or any other “alphabet agency” to tell the TRUTH. I all fairness it seems they LOVE the unrest, criminal acts and condone them.
Memri TV posted video 8168 regarding a pro isis media video posted in June for fires to be set in forests, factories, buildings, etc. The speaker targeted an area in California.
If this is due to global warming, I have to ask what the whole world isn’t going up in flames. That’s it’s just sections of the US and not Canada, Australia, China, the Soviet, Africa is curious.
It’s sickening to constantly hear the outright lies that everything bad going on in this world is President Trump’s fault! How can this be? I pray the fires will be drenched out by rains; & the firefighters will be protected. Peace & comfort & prayers go out to the friends & families who have lost loved ones; property; & animals.
HAVE THE ANIMALS WHO HAVE BEEN ARRESTED FOR SETTING MANY OF THE WEST COAST FIRES BEEN TIED TO ANTIFA??? IF SO THEN THEY SHOULD BE CHARGED WITH MURDER. AND PROSECUTED ACCORDIN LY.
It’s global warming
Poor land management.
ANTIFA stated themselves that they and BLM would burn America down. So what are people to think? We know they are Burning City’s because we see it. And you want to ensure us that we are to believe what you say and not believe what we see and hear what they say? Come on!
These “wildfires” are a result of nature & man interacting in a specific geography as opposed to global warming created by man. LIVE WITH IT!
Antifa
Years of forest mismanagement by “environmentalists” and laws preventing fire professionals from fighting fires on federal land.
Since climate change agendas are a hoax, what do you think? The Forestry Service used to pay college students to clean up the overgrowth and forest issues, and then the commie leftist environmentalists said this will hurt the habitats of wildlife, and yet it didn’t. So that, coupled with socialist/communist agendas/terrorists, really old power poles, and idiots in gender reveal LGBTQ+ parties, you have fires!!!
It is my understanding the California stopped the harvesting of timber from the forests. If the forests were “left to themselves” is is very likely that a considerable amount of dead wood, vines, etc., would make the whole forest a firebox filled with “starter” wood. Then without care the paths/roads through the wooded area would become impassable making it impossible to fight any small fire that would start before it spread into a major fire. If the lack of management is true, then it could be that politicians are responsible for the lack of forest maintenance the lead to the destruction of so many thousands of acres of beautiful, beneficial woodlands.
All three of the above. I would put forest mismanagement at the top of the list. This last batch of fires here in north -central California was in large part due to lightening strikes. I saw an overview of the Sierra range a few years ago. The amount of dead trees was appalling.One strike and it all goes up in flames.The Sierra club and other environmental groups are at fault here.
I believe climate change is a natural occurance. Sure, man has some responsibility, but not all. I’ve lived in California most of my 82 years. Forty -five years ago we moved to this foothill area. It was so hot and dry that first summer the ground cracked. I had never seen anything like it. The following winter it rained so much there was flooding. Eons ago California had a 40 year drought.The earth has gone thru periods of prolonged cold and heat. I think we are in a warming trend. So, the powers that be can implement what ever they think is mans fault and will not change a thing. And NO we are not all going to die in ten years . Unless, The Power That Is, namely God our Father in Heavens, deems it so.
Anyone caught starting a fire in a forest shall be executed on-sight, extra judicially. I’m only the grave digger.
There have been numerous arrests for arson related to these fires. that is a provable fact.
If it was global warming wouldn’t Canada be having the same problem? Or otherwise countries? That’s why it’s called GLOBAL warming. Or is it the USA warming? The truth is is that it’s poor forest management. Newsome said it’s been 27 years since they weeded out the forest. That’ll do it. But of course he tried blaming Trump because of California’s ineptness. One question, why didn’t Obama do anything about global warming, or did it just start since Trump because president? The democrats been in office a lot longer and did nothing productive if it’s as bad as they say.
How sad and preventable. The Native Americans have known for eons: controlled fires to clear the underbrush aka combustible fuel. What has been done in that critical area of conservation? The Forest Dept. must have an answer, and better be a very good one.
California has spent more money on “social” agendas than worrying about important things like forest maintenance. Liberals REALLY don’t have much common sense.
POOR LAND MANAGEMENT DEAD TREES, DRYED BRUSH OLD PINE NEEDLES MAKE EXCELLENT FUEL LIGHTNING CARELESS CAMPERS ARE THE EGNIGHTERS THE USE OF CONTROLLED BURNINGS WOULD HELP TO HOLD SOME OF THESE FIRES IN CHECK
Why not believe that Antifa set the fires?. At the beginning of WW2 The Japanese sent balloons over to the West coast filled with incendiary materials what would ignite when it hit the ground. Most were duds but one did start a forest fire. They were hoping to set the forests on the West Coast ablaze to hamper the War Effort going on at the time. They wanted to deprive the USA of lumber so the construction of military camps etc would suffer..
Nothing but trump lies and BULL S—-T