‘Hollywood on fire’: AI aids firefighting as fakes fuel panic

Firefighters have deployed artificial intelligence to combat blazes in Southern California.

The wildfires have scorched nearly 11,000 hectares, with about 180,000 people evacuated. Thousands of homes and businesses have been destroyed, including properties owned by American celebrities.

? CAL FIRE is battling multiple wildfires across Southern California.
Just eight days into 2025, there have been more than 55 wildfires. Here is a summary of the major fires burning in Southern California, including the #PalisadesFire and #EatonFire pic.twitter.com/JmOlMHKOIw

— CAL FIRE (@CAL_FIRE) January 8, 2025

AI is being used to detect fires, refine suppression strategies and forecast weather.

Developed by researchers at the University of California, San Diego, the Alert California system uses thousands of cameras across the state to spot wildfires. On January 3, the AI detected a blaze in Irvine (Orange County).

“The uniqueness of the story is that this is the first case in the region when we received a notification from the camera and artificial intelligence system, and people did not call 911,” — commented local fire department captain Tan Nguyen.

The fire was detected in “remote high-risk areas”.

OCFA RESPONDS TO VEGETATION FIRE DETECTED EXCLUSIVELY BY ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE – A FIRST IN AGENCY HISTORY

Irvine, CA – In December 2024, the OCFA successfully utilized artificial intelligence (AI) to detect and >>> pic.twitter.com/mgo4HGFcGv

— OCFA PIO (@OCFireAuthority) January 3, 2025

Nguyen noted that if a person were monitoring the cameras, they could miss the moment a fire starts. In this case, AI proved more effective — it recognised that something was wrong in the footage and alerted the team at Alert California.

Delays in decision-making can allow a blaze to spread, said Pano AI co-founder Arvind Satyam. His firm develops AI technology for wildfire detection.

Ember Flas is also monitoring the situation; the company offers devices and apps for fire detection using an optical sensor and a particle sensor. On January 6, it recorded destruction in Palisades (a neighbourhood in west Los Angeles) and Eaton Canyon (a park and nature reserve in Pasadena).

The company uses machine learning and artificial intelligence to detect patterns indicative of smoke. AI brings speed — a key factor in detecting and mitigating wildfires, said the firm’s CEO, Joseph Norris.

Fakes

Artificial intelligence does not only help. Amid the state of emergency in California, AI systems are also being used to spread disinformation.

On January 8, images began circulating on social media showing the iconic Hollywood sign surrounded by flames. The pictures, however, were generated by neural networks.

While fires in Los Angeles have now reached the Hollywood Hills, videos and images currently going viral online showing the Hollywood sign engulfed in fire are AI-generated and fake. pic.twitter.com/cXBoR92NgL

— Shayan Sardarizadeh (@Shayan86) January 9, 2025

Fake images of looters are also circulating, adding to confusion and fuelling further panic.

I cannot describe how engaging and utterly despicable it is to see people spreading AI-generated images of the LA fires when everyone around you is terrified, devastated, and trying to find accurate information to keep themselves and their loved ones safe pic.twitter.com/cIuKZKQHna

— Louise Matsakis (@lmatsakis) January 8, 2025

A similar disinformation tactic was used during hurricanes in the United States in autumn 2024.

Tim Weninger, a professor of computer science and engineering at the University of Notre Dame, suggested that the spreaders of disinformation might be trolling and find it amusing. He added that social or political motives may also be at play.

“[…] For example, a hint that California deserves to burn, criticism of Governor [Gavin] Newsom, or a reaction to DEI in firefighting. Those are the main reasons, but there may be others,” the expert emphasised.

On January 9, US president-elect Donald Trump criticised California’s governor, calling him incompetent.

In December, experts warned about the risk of fires in power grids caused by AI.