Henry Winkler Suggests LA Wildfires May Be Intentionally Set
Henry Winkler sparked a heated online debate after tweeting that the catastrophic LA wildfires were intentionally set and calling for the arsonist to be “beaten” beyond “recognition.” The post quickly went viral, prompting an official response from authorities attempting to address the theory before it gained more traction.
Just two days after Los Angeles began battling destructive wind-driven wildfires, Henry Winkler, the actor best known as the cool Fonzie from Happy Days, took to X to express his outrage at the ongoing devastation and its potential cause.
“THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,” Winkler wrote on X. The 79-year-old actor, who resides in Brentwood, a wealthy neighborhood in Los Angeles, continued with an angry plea: “May you be beaten unrecognizable!!! The pain you have caused!!!”
The tweet, which was viewed by over 7.1 million people, generated widespread support from followers, who flooded the post with comments agreeing with Winkler’s sentiment and sharing their own speculations.
“I was thinking about this too… because no one has explained how it started,” one user responded. Another commenter suggested, “It’s probably multiple arsonists at work.”
“Agreed. I’ve always suspected this, and I even have an idea of who might be behind it,” wrote another. They added, “Some people just can’t stand California thriving.”
Others questioned whether a single person or a coordinated effort was responsible. “Is this one arsonist or a group working together? There are so many fires breaking out—it seems possible this is an organized attack,” a user speculated.
Despite the wave of agreement, Winkler’s post also attracted criticism. Some accused him of overreacting, with one user stating, “Henry, you used to be cool; now you sound ridiculous.” Another commented, “Here come the conspiracy theories!”
Others took a political jab at Winkler, saying, “It’s nice to see you finally outraged about something other than Trump.” The backlash reflected the divisive nature of the discussion surrounding the wildfires and their causes.
‘No conclusive evidence’
Winkler’s allegations didn’t just spark online debate; officials were quick to address the claims. In a statement shared with TMZ, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) clarified that investigations were underway to determine the exact cause of the fires but emphasized that no evidence currently pointed to arson.
While the LAFD acknowledged that their arson squad was involved in the investigation, they stressed that such measures are routine for large-scale fires. According to California fire chief David Acuna, there isn’t any “conclusive evidence” to support the idea that the wildfires were deliberately started.
‘People lighting fires’
Despite these reassurances, Winkler’s claims fueled ongoing conversations about the possibility of intentional fire-starting. Andrew Huberman, a Stanford University neurobiology professor, shared a video in the comments of Winkler’s post, claiming to have witnessed people setting fires in urban areas of Los Angeles.
Huberman wrote, “People are lighting fires in otherwise non-burning urban areas of LA. I saw this happen firsthand at 302 Pico in Santa Monica. Called it in, and both fire and police responded. Stay safe and report any suspicious activity immediately. We don’t need more flames out here.”
His post, accompanied by a video clip, attracted over 10 million views and even drew a response from Elon Musk, who simply commented, “WOW.”
People are lighting fires in otherwise non-burning urban areas of LA. Saw this happen first hand at 302 Pico in Santa Monica. Called it in & fire dept & police responded. Stay safe and call in any activity ASAP. We don’t need more flames out here. pic.twitter.com/AZ4GLr6N3q
— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) January 9, 2025
The fires, including the Palisades and Eaton fires, which have already claimed 24 lives, remain under investigation. However, no official cause has been determined, leaving room for further speculation and debate.
What’s your opinion on Winkler’s suggestion that the fires were deliberately caused? Share your thoughts in the comments, and spread the word to hear others’ perspectives on this ongoing controversy.
