As the fires in Los Angeles continue to cause destruction, Henry Winkler has theorized that an arsonist is behind the damage being caused.
There are multiple active wildfires in and around the city, which started on Tuesday and led to the rapid evacuation of thousands of people in Southern California. These include the Palisades fire in Pacific Palisades, the Hurst fire in San Fernando Valley and the Eaton fire near Altadena. Another blaze, the Woodley fire, ignited on Wednesday alongside several smaller fires.
Firefighters and other emergency workers continue battling the fires and assisting in evacuation efforts. While the potent winds driving the fires to rapidly escalate were expected to die down by Thursday night, the initial causes of all the blazes remain under investigation.
While the cause of the fires hasn't been confirmed, this hasn't stopped the Happy Days actor from taking to X (formerly Twitter) to blame it on an arsonist. Newsweek emailed the Los Angeles Police Department and a spokesperson for Winkler for comment on Thursday.
THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA . May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!
— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) January 9, 2025"THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA . May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!" the actor wrote.
The post has quickly gained traction and at the time of writing, it had been viewed 322,500 times.
People took to the comments to share their theories, with many agreeing with the star.
"We need to seriously increase the arson penalties, because this is getting ridiculous," one person wrote.
"We live right near the home in studio city that burned and there is zero chance it happened because of an ember from the other side of the hill. Breeze blowing the opposite direction. I'm with you, Henry," said another.
"It is certainly possible. We'll see if the authorities can produce any evidence?" someone else commented.
A fourth person pointed out the different factors at play, writing: "100 mph winds. Tinder box. Fonze' maybe. Electric lines. Other factors. Broham. Breathe in 1 out 1, repeat. Think about fishin'. Everyone is hyper. ZEN yourself. As best you can. You are loved."
California has always been vulnerable to raging wildfires, but scientists have said that global warming has made them more frequent and more severe than they used to be. By the end of 2024, 8,024 wildfires had burned 1,050,012 acres of land across the state and killed one person, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass declared a state of emergency over the current fires, and officials have warned that the worst may be yet to come as extreme winds that are challenging efforts to contain the fires are expected to continue for days.
Evacuations have caused heavy traffic with some residents abandoning their cars and seeking shelter on the beach, while others, including elderly residents at a Pasadena care home, were evacuated just in time.
The White House has released a summary detailing federal support for California's wildfire response efforts. According to the announcement, the California National Guard will deploy two Modular Airborne Fire Fighting System (MAFFS) units to assist in aerial suppression efforts.
According to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, winds gusting up to 60 miles per hour are expected to continue through Thursday, "potentially aiding in further fire activity and suppression efforts."
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