Question

Gutted seeing the Hollywood Sign ablaze

Comments

The Hollywood sign did indeed not burn down. There were a lot of false images that got spread around. Although the fire was close to the sign, it did not catch on fire. Sites prove that the sign is still standing and well.

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I know the Hollywood sign did not burn down. I am from California myself and I've seen a lot of fake news and AI generated photos. Bluesky as a source is very good and it showing the post may be deleted is also a good trick. It gives the illusion that it might have actually burned down. Long live Hollywood, it will stand longer than us!

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I believe that your response is accurate, but by just saying 'sites' it doesn't help me to be sure. I think by adding a site that proves this you would have a great response.

Answer 1

This claim is false. There were videos going around the internet showing the Hollywood sign being up in flames but those were not real. ABC 10 writes that According to a spokesperson for the Hollywood sign trust the sign was not even in danger during the fires. 

https://www.10news.com/news/fact-or-fiction/fact-or-fiction-hollywood-sign-catches-fire-amid-la-blazes

Answer 2

This claim is pure fear mongering and a blatant attention grab. CBC Kids News has a great article regarding this rumor, which was started during the devastating LA wildfire which started on January 7th. The image this claim is based off of is AI generated, "A quick search for L.A. wildfires content on TikTok brings up multiple posts that are likely AI-generated content." said Marielle Torrefranca in the CBC Kids Article. Furthermore, in the USA Today article they explain that after running the image through an AI detection software known as Hive Moderation, it determined it was 87% likely to have AI generated content. As well as "the obvious fact that the fire hasn’t come close to the sign". 

Answer 3

This claim is false, while there was a circulating AI image of the Hollywood sign on fire, it caught many people's attention but is not true. This image had a lot of people thinking it was true, but in reality it is not on fire. In the article linked below, they write "Tourists accidentally sparked controversy on social media last Tuesday when they asked about the iconic landmark amid record-breaking wildfires in LA The hilltop monument wasn’t anywhere near the destructive blazes that night — the fires were too busy destroying residential communities then — but the thought pulled focus from real relief efforts."

https://www.indiewire.com/features/commentary/is-the-hollywood-sign-on-fire-1235084815/

Answer 4

The Hollywood sign did not burn down during the California fires. During the news coverage and media attention surrounding the fires, there were several AI-generated videos and images that were misleading and misinformation.

Answer 5

This claim is 100% false, the link and photo attached are AI generated and completely falsified. When searching for any other sources claiming this, it is evident that no reliable source is reporting the burning of the Hollywood sign. This type of post is not only misleading and false but using pathos to insight the emotion of the viewer and think the fires in Southern California are worse than they seem. In the heat of such a catastrophic event it is important to stay persistent on fact checking as spreading misinformation like this causes unnecessary panic and also blocks other important sources of media that could be benefiting those in need. When google searching the headline "Hollywood sign Ablaze" many sources refute the claim including NBC Los Angeles saying, "it was an AI image spread online" and that the Hollywood sign is still standing. It is crucial for civilians and people of the internet to stay disciplined in fact checking and not believing misleading claims especially ones that put others in worse positions and benefit those trying to insight emotions.

Sources:

https://bsky.app/profile/madz123.bsky.social/post/3lfcm2mr2vs27

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/california-wildfires/hollywood-sign-fire/3599907/

Answer 6

Although areas around and near the Hollywood sign were on fire, the Hollywood sign itself is completely fine. According to Fox11 Los Angeles, they stated many fake images were being posted on social media making it look like the sign was on fire. Despite the fake images it lead to many people thinking it was actually on fire especially cause people living nearby were evacuated. But the fires were contained and the Hollywood sign is all intact.

https://www.foxla.com/news/no-the-hollywood-sign-did-not-burn-down-sunset-fire

Answer 7

This claim is false. There are many photos and videos in circulation on various social media platforms such as X and Instagram of the famous Hollywood sign on fire. Firstly, all of the photos of the sign on fire are fake, some have been created with photo editing software while others have been created by AI, some AI photos even spell "Hollywood" wrong. Secondly, this can easily be checked through the official website for the California fires (https://www.fire.ca.gov/incidents). This website offers information regarding fires such maps, acreage, and containment. It is easy to see that neither that Palisades or Eaton wild fires posed a threat to the Hollywood sign which is in Griffith park. Additionally, a spokesperson for the Hollywood Sign Trust told The Dispatch magazine that the fires posed no threat to the sign and surrounding area although Griffith park was closed for safety (https://thedispatch.com/article/images-of-the-hollywood-sign-engulfed-in-flames-are-fake/).

Answer 8

This claim that the Hollywood sign burned down is completely false. The Hollywood sign did not go up in flames and is still standing perfectly fine. There were many fires around the area but the sign itself was never touched by the flames. The link given by the publisher above was most likely an AI image or video created to stir up drama and get views. But all in all, the Hollywood sign is still standing safely and we can confirm this from a simple Google search. 

https://www.foxla.com/news/no-the-hollywood-sign-did-not-burn-down-sunset-fire

Answer 9

This claim is entirely false, the Hollywood sign did not catch fire during the recent LA fires. The initial post linked to the claim has been taken down, so I looked for other sources.

 

With a quick google search, several sources disprove the claim. According to ABC 10 News San Diego, the sign was close to the fires but did not catch whatsoever. They announce that all images circulating of the sign on fire are fake. 

 

Next was an article from the Los Angeles Times, titled “L.A. firestorms bring waves of fire myths, disinformation. Here’s how to debunk it and not get fooled.” Writer Karen Garcia claims that an AI-generated photo had been spread around the internet. This article provided its own fact check, with confirmation from Jeff Zarrinnam, the chairman of the Hollywood Sign Trust that the sign is untouched by the fires. 

 

To further disprove this claim, I found an article from CBC Kids News titled “Watch – The Hollywood sign didn’t burn. How to spot fake L.A. wildfire posts.” This source also cites the Hollywood Sign Trust as their source as well as sharing tips on how to spot fake content. 

 

I was able to find information about the Hollywood Sign Trust on the Hollywood Sign website. They describe themselves as a nonprofit organization responsible for “created and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary, or educational purposes and responsible for physically maintaining, repairing and securing the Hollywood Sign”. 

 

https://www.10news.com/news/fact-or-fiction/fact-or-fiction-hollywood-sign-catches-fire-amid-la-blazes

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2025-01-10/debunking-social-media-fire-myths-no-the-hollywood-sign-didnt-burn

https://www.cbc.ca/kidsnews/post/watch-fake-l.a-wildfires-posts-are-tricking-people-how-to-spot-whats-not-real

https://www.hollywoodsign.org/about-the-trust

Answer 10

The Hollywood sign did not burn down. At first when I saw a fake image on tiktok I was sure that the Hollywood sign had gone down. But with one quick search I quickly learned that it was an AI image that I saw and the person spreading it was trying to make people panicked and confused. News articles like these helped me realize what I was seeing was false. 

https://www.foxla.com/news/no-the-hollywood-sign-did-not-burn-down-sunset-fire (FOXLA a very creditable news outlet) 

https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/california-wildfires/hollywood-sign-fire/3599907/ (NBCLA another very creditable source)