On January 9-10, Georgian Facebook users (1, 2, 3, 4, 5) and a Russian-speaking user, including those who frequently spread misinformation, as well as accounts on the Threads platform (1, 2), posted video and photo material showing the Hollywood sign burning in Los Angeles. The authors of these posts linked the visual material to the raging wildfires in California.
The visuals circulating on social media, suggesting that the Hollywood sign in Los Angeles is burning, are false. According to the fire spread map and explanations from the relevant authorities, the fire has not approached the Hollywood sign. Additionally, certain flaws can be noticed in the circulated visuals, confirming that they are fake.
Fighting a massive fire in Los Angeles has been battled since January 7. As of January 13, it has claimed 24 lives and damaged or destroyed over 600 buildings. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.
The visual material circulating on social media, depicting the Hollywood sign on fire, is not real. The authenticity of the video was investigated by the American fact-checking platform Snopes. They found that the video of the burning Hollywood symbol was initially shared by a TikTok account. The account has since deleted the video, but an archive link remains available. The account indicated that it belongs to an artist who creates graphic videos. The account has previously published several digitally manipulated videos.
Relying on the Los Angeles Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Snopes reports that at the time the fake visuals were being spread, the fire hotspots were more than 4 kilometers (3 miles) away from the Hollywood sign.
The fact-checking service of the French media Agence France-Presse (AFP) examined a photo showing Mount Lee and the Hollywood sign on fire. According to their findings, part of the Hollywood sign, specifically the letter “H,” looks different from the real one. Notably, the structural brackets behind the sign’s letters are misaligned compared to the real ones. Thus, they concluded that the photo is fabricated. Additionally, AFP published a photo of the Hollywood sign taken on January 9, 2025, showing no fire-damaged details.
Observing the fire spread map also shows that the fire has not approached the Hollywood sign. The Hollywood sign is located in Griffith Park. The map shows several fire hotspots around it, but none were close enough for the fire to reach the landmark.
Myth Detector frequently checks visual manipulations. Such materials are especially widespread during crisis situations.
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