Lush green palm trees still standing in Los Angeles despite the raging wildfires consuming California have sparked wild conspiracy theories online.
Palm trees can be seen in several photos still upright amid the burning wrecks of homes and cars set alight this week by the fires which have so far claimed 16 lives and left more than 200,000 people displaced.
One user, pointing to the destruction of homes and cars, that that an apparent ‘heat attack’ had targeted the livelihoods of Californians.
These ‘attacks’ are, according to conspiracy theorists, designed to facilitate the eradication of national identities and form a one-world government.
But in reality, trees are often able to survive wildfires thanks to adaptations like thick bark and high moisture content that protect them from the heat.
Palm trees in particular are often safe from fires, as often fires occur at ground level – far from a tree’s canopy.
On top of this, photographers in LA have captured images of several palm trees burning down in the wildfires.
Other conspiracy theories claim that the fires were stared by California governor Gavin Newsom and US president Joe Biden to stop the development of high-speed rail funded by China.
The aim of this conspiracy would be to make the land ‘unusable’ for rail developers, which would then be used to develop so-called ’15-minute cities.’
While a 15-minute city is in reality an urban planning concept that aims to highlight the necessity of having one’s daily needs to be within walking or biking distance at any point in a city, the concept has been twisted by the far-right, who claim it is a plot to trap people in ghettoised regions.
Sadly, it is not out of the question that the fires were started intentionally.
A man in his 30s was arrested for allegedly starting the Kenneth fire.
The death toll from the wildfires ravaging the Los Angeles area rose to 16 as crews battled to cut off the spreading blazes before potentially strong winds return that could push the flames toward some of the city’s most famous landmarks.
Five of the deaths were attributed to the Palisades Fire and 11 resulted from the Eaton Fire, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office said.
The previous number of confirmed deaths before Saturday was 11 but officials said they expected that figure to rise as teams with dogs conduct systematic grid searches in levelled neighborhoods.
Authorities have established a centre where people can report the missing.
There were fears that winds could move the fires toward the J Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles, while new evacuation warnings left more homeowners on edge.
By Saturday evening, Cal Fire reported the Palisades, Eaton, Kenneth and Hurst fires had consumed about 62 square miles, an area larger than San Francisco. The Palisades and Eaton fires accounted for 59 square miles.
In a briefing posted online on Saturday evening, Michael Traum of the California Office of Emergency Services said 150,000 people in Los Angeles County were under evacuation orders, with more than 700 people taking refuge in nine shelters.
Crews from California and nine other states are part of the ongoing response that includes 1,354 fire engines, 84 aircraft and more than 14,000 personnel, including newly arrived firefighters from Mexico, he said.
With Cal Fire reporting containment of the Palisades Fire at 11% and the Eaton Fire at 15% on Saturday night, the fight is set to continue.
‘Weather conditions are still critical and another round of strong winds is expected starting Monday,’ Mr Traum said.