As wildfires continue to ravage Los Angeles, leaving tens of thousands of residents fleeing their homes, a disturbing trend has emerged on social media. President-elect Donald Trump and entrepreneur Elon Musk have taken to their respective platforms, Truth Social and X, to spread disinformation about the causes of the devastating fires. Despite the overwhelming evidence to the contrary, both Trump and Musk have blamed Democrats and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) policies for the disaster.

Trump, in a series of posts on Truth Social, claimed that California Governor Gavin Newsom's water policies, including efforts to protect the delta smelt, were to blame for the firefighters' inability to get the fires under control. He also falsely claimed that Newsom had "refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California." Newsom's office quickly responded, clarifying that no such document existed and that the Governor was focused on protecting people, not playing politics.

Musk, meanwhile, took to X to suggest that the fires were spreading due to the city fire chief's commitment to DEI policies. "DEI means people DIE," Musk wrote, perpetuating a harmful and false narrative. This claim has been roundly debunked by experts, who point to the increased demand for water and the reduction in water pressure as the real cause of the lack of water in the Pacific Palisades hydrants.

The spread of disinformation has real-world consequences. Last year, FEMA workers received threats on TikTok and other social media platforms as false claims spread in the wake of hurricanes Milton and Helene. In this case, the false claims about the LA wildfires have the potential to distract from the real causes of the disaster and hinder efforts to combat it.

Experts have been quick to point out the actual causes of the wildfires, including the devastating impacts of a changing climate. Mark Gold, a board member of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, noted that statewide water management policies, including efforts to protect the delta smelt, had nothing to do with the lack of water in the hydrants. "Tying Bay-Delta management into devastating wildfires that have cost people's lives and homes is nothing short of irresponsible," Gold said.

The Los Angeles Times reported that the lack of water in the Pacific Palisades hydrants was instead due to a reduction in water pressure caused by increased demand. Janisse Quiñones, the chief executive and chief engineer of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, explained that the utility wasn't able to fill the tanks quickly enough due to the high demand for water at lower elevations, which prevented the utility from refilling tanks at higher elevations.

In addition to the false claims about the causes of the wildfires, right-wing influencers have also been spreading misinformation about the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget. Despite evidence to the contrary, they claim that Mayor Karen Bass cut $23 million from the fire department's budget, prioritizing diversity programs over sound fire prevention policy. In reality, the fire department's budget actually increased by more than $50 million over the previous year, according to Politico.

The spread of disinformation on social media has become a major concern, particularly in the context of natural disasters like the LA wildfires. As the situation continues to unfold, it's essential that accurate information is disseminated and that those responsible for spreading false claims are held accountable.

In the meantime, the people of Los Angeles continue to suffer the devastating consequences of the wildfires, with five people confirmed dead and over 130,000 residents under evacuation orders. As the city struggles to respond to the disaster, it's imperative that we prioritize the truth and reject harmful misinformation that can have real-world consequences.