Photos of the Hollywood sign on fire are fast-spreading on the internet, confusing viewers, sparking a debate on whether or not these photographs are actually credible. But the pictures that have been posted are clearly AI-generated, as, in one of the images, the watermark of the AI tool that was used to fabricate it (Grok developed by xAI) can be seen at the bottom. In the same picture, the spelling of the sign is also incorrect, having an extra letter.
In another picture being circulated, which has also declared that the 100-year-old historical landmark is ablaze, there is no watermark. But it has been confirmed that this too is fake, as the live webcam shows that the sign stands untouched as yet. ‘Raw Reporting’ has posted a view of the sign through a live webcam and has also written "The current fire is approximately 2.3 miles away from the iconic Hollywood sign. Images circulating online of the sign smoldering or on fire are fake."
The intense, fast-moving wildfire, named the ‘Sunset Fire’ is the latest inferno of the Los Angeles area which broke out in the Runyon Canyon of the Hollywood Hills—where the iconic ‘Hollywood’ sign and other renowned spots are situated—at around 5:30pm.
With five deaths so far and many homes destroyed, over 1,00,000 people have been forced to evacuate their properties. The death toll has been expected to rise.
Celebrities like married couple Leighton Meester and Adam Brody, Billy Crystal, Paris Hilton, James Woods, Miles Teller, Cameron Mathison, Diana Warren are part of the growing list of those who have lost their homes to the raging flames of LA, till now.
The first fire erupted in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday. Firefighters have been working tirelessly since then to put out the fire, protect residents and ensure their safety.
There are now at least seven fires—Palisades, Sunset, Woodley, Eaton, Olivas, Hurst and Lidia.
Some of the well-known structures that have been severely damaged by the flames are the Pasadena Jewish Temple and Center—a synagogue and Jewish community hub located in Pasadena, California, destroyed by the Eaton fire, the Will Rogers State Historic Park—a ranch park in the Pacific Palisades area, and several others.
