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Dramatic Video Allegedly Shows 2 Men and Dog Trapped Inside House by Palisades Wildfire

At the time of this writing, 25 people have died from the massive blazes.

by Izz Scott LaMagdeleine, Jan. 8, 2025


A firefighter's back is towards the camera as they look at a fire in front of them.

Image courtesy of Getty Images


On the morning of Jan. 7, 2025, a fire began to spread through the Pacific Palisades, a neighborhood located outside of Los Angeles. Additional blazes began to break out in the area later that night. At least 25 people died in the infernos, while over 12,300 structures were destroyed. Fires in the region still haven't been fully contained, at the time of this writing.

Snopes has been hard at work fact-checking claims that have spread about the wildfires. Some claims have centered on images allegedly related to the fires, like videos and photos purporting to show the Hollywood sign on fire (fake). Other claims are more complicated and center on responses to the blazes by elected officials, like the accusation that the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget had been cut by Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass. 

Here is every claim we've fact-checked about the L.A. fires so far:


By Izz Scott LaMagdeleine

Izz Scott LaMagdeleine is the web producer/production editor for Snopes.

Photos Allegedly Showing LA Wildfire Survivor's Home 'God Saved' Aren't What They Seem

Jan. 14, 2025

During the January 2025 L.A. County fires, a man told 7NEWS Australia, "God saved my house." Use ...

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No Evidence Taylor Swift Donated $10M to California Wildfire Fund

Jan. 14, 2025

If the pop star has donated, she hasn't announced it publicly.

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Trump Says Newsom's 'Refusal' To Sign 'Water Restoration Declaration' Led to Shortage in LA Fires

Jan. 13, 2025

California Gov. Gavin Newsom's office denied such a document ever existed and labeled Trump's cl ...

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No, California Didn't Turn Away Fire Trucks From Oregon Over Smog Certification

Jan. 13, 2025

Fires in Los Angeles in January 2025 forced more than 150,000 people to evacuate.

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Video Shows Black People Helping — Not Looting — During LA Wildfires

Jan. 10, 2025

Online users falsely alleged a video of Black family members and friends moving items from a hom ...

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Real Pic of Charred Palisades Neighborhood? Here's What We Know

Jan. 10, 2025

The 2025 Los Angeles wildfire left many communities beyond recognition.

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Rumors About LA Fire Department Budget Cuts Are Missing Context

Jan. 9, 2025

The January 2025 wildfires in Los Angeles resulted in an online rumor concerning LA Mayor Karen ...

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Yes, Some LA Fire Hydrants Ran Out of Water. That's Not the Whole Story, Though

Jan. 9, 2025

Los Angeles officials said a "tremendous" demand — four times normal levels — during the Palisad ...

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A person wearing a yellow top pours water over the top of a trash can.

LA Firefighters Using Women's Purses to Battle Blazes? Not Exactly

Jan. 10, 2025

Social media users were outraged at claims that firefighters were seen in news footage carrying ...

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Beware of Fake Visuals Showing LA Wildfires Engulfing Hollywood Sign

Jan. 9, 2025

A short video and dramatic picture both claimed to show flames engulfing the historic sign as wi ...

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Dramatic Video Allegedly Shows 2 Men and Dog Trapped Inside House by Palisades Wildfire

Jan. 8, 2025

In the footage, a wall of billowing flames is visible through the windows of a surrounded home.

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