As Los Angeles wildfires burn, social media points to Israeli-made fires in Gaza

As Los Angeles continues to combat the ongoing wildfires ravaging the area, many online have highlighted the similarities between Angelenos’ experience of destruction and displacement and that of Palestinians suffering from Israel’s ongoing bombardment in Gaza.

In three days, the fires have burned more than 117 square kilometres of land, killing at least five and displacing more than 180,000 people from their homes. One of the fires, the Palisades fire, has been categorised as the most destructive fire in LA’s history, burning almost 69 square kilometres alone.

As Americans take to social media this week to post about the horrors unfolding in the “city of angels”, many have highlighted LA county’s budget cut of nearly $18m to the fire department and the United States’ increase in financial support for Israel.

Last week, the Biden administration announced a planned eight-billion-dollar weapons sale to Israel.

“Meanwhile the LA Fire Dept got a $17.6M budget cut. And Israel, which already got a $23 billion increase, is set to get 8 billion more,” Palestinian journalist Ahmed Eldin posted on X.

Other social media users have pointed out the double standard of empathetic reactions to Americans affected by the wildfires compared to the reactions – or lack thereof – of Israel’s destruction of Gaza, which theUnited Nations relief and works agency for Palestine refugees says has displaced at least 1.9 million Palestinians thus far.

James Woods is one of the many celebrities who have lost their homes to the wildfires in LA. He has been vociferously supportive of Israel’s bombardment of Gaza. In response to Woods losing his home, many have circulated an earlier post of his on X, where he reportedly said, “No ceasefire. No compromise. No forgiveness. #KillThemAll”.

Imam Omar Suleiman took to his Instagram account, which has over three million followers, to respond to Woods’ loss, saying: “Praying that God protect the lives and properties of innocent people in Los Angeles and beyond. But can’t help but notice this. The people of Gaza continue to be exterminated by the cruel in houses of power, with the support of the cruel who feel invincible in their mansions.”

Another aspect of the catastrophe in LA that is receiving a lot of attention online is that nearly 400 firefighters who are being deployed are prison inmates being paid less than five dollars an hour. 

Many have criticised wealthier Angelenos seeking “private” firefighters, saying they would pay whatever cost for a faster response. 

“Wealth inequality is drastic in LA, and those left behind are mostly very poor and/or homeless and unable to flee. For every mansion you see burned, there are thousands of poor people losing everything, mostly renters who can’t replace what’s lost. Their homes aren’t being shown,” one social media account posted. 

Some of those who have been targeted by Israel have taken to their social media accounts to say that they see the fires as a “divine message” for the United States.

“Dropping hundreds of thousands of tons of bombs on Gaza, turning it into a blazing inferno, has consequences that extend beyond our moral condemnation – there are climate consequences that will find us all,” New York activist Fatima Mohammed posted on X.