As wildfires rage across Southern California, Elon Musk has sparked a heated debate by blaming California fire officials for prioritizing diversity over saving lives and homes. His comments came as devastating fires, which have already burned over 27,000 acres, continue to threaten lives, with at least five confirmed dead and many others injured.
On Wednesday, Musk shared a post on his social media platform X, which criticized the Los Angeles Fire Department’s diversity hiring policies. The post, originally from the right-wing account Libs of TikTok, claimed that DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) efforts were to blame for the fires’ destructive force. Musk didn’t offer any proof or explanation for this claim, leading many to question his reasoning.
While the flames intensified, conspiracy theories began spreading across social media. Some MAGA supporters seized the moment to criticize California’s Democratic leadership, making baseless claims that the state misused public funds to house undocumented immigrants instead of investing in water infrastructure. One account even went so far as to suggest that cloud seeding—an artificial rainfall method—was to blame for the fires, without providing evidence.
Meanwhile, Trump supporters, including Donald Trump Jr., joined the conversation, attacking California’s fire response. Trump Jr. criticized the Los Angeles Fire Department’s decision to send surplus equipment to Ukraine in 2022 to aid in the war effort, without offering any clear connection to the wildfires.
On the political front, President-elect Donald Trump echoed similar frustrations, accusing California’s Governor Gavin Newsom of prioritizing a “worthless fish called a smelt” over the safety of Californians. Trump claimed that Newsom blocked a water restoration plan that could have helped prevent the disaster, though the Governor’s office denied the existence of such a plan, calling the accusation “pure fiction.”
In response, Newsom’s office focused on the immediate needs of the people, emphasizing that the Governor is working to provide firefighters with the necessary resources to tackle the crisis. Meanwhile, Trump took the opportunity to criticize President Joe Biden for not providing enough support for the state’s water and firefighting needs.
As these debates unfold, the focus on the wildfires remains clear: they are a devastating disaster affecting thousands of Californians, with many still displaced, their homes and lives at risk.