Conspiracy theories emerge about Hawaii firestorm

The island of Maui is experiencing a series of terrible days that scientists and US officials have determined are caused by wildfires.

However, images of the disaster showed cars and buildings heavily damaged while nearby trees and electricity poles remained unharmed.

Since then, a "conspiracy theory" has emerged on American social networks claiming that the disaster was not caused by a forest fire but by some "supernatural force".

Xuất hiện “thuyết âm mưu” về bão lửa Hawaii - Ảnh 1.

The ruins of a wildfire disaster in the resort town of Lahaina, Hawaii, USA. Photo: AP

"Mysterious powers are returning. This is not a wildfire," a voiceover says in a Facebook video that shows the ruins of Maui.

"The fire burned down buildings, cars and even destroyed a boat in the middle of the ocean... but nearby trees and power poles were still standing. This is definitely not caused by a forest fire" – the voiceover in the video continues to affirm.

According to AP, many comments under the post later also agreed with this "conspiracy theory".

Xuất hiện “thuyết âm mưu” về bão lửa Hawaii - Ảnh 2.

The wildfire also burned a boat at sea in Lahaina. Photo: AP

The Associated Press investigated the issue. Experts it consulted said it was not unusual for trees and power lines to remain standing during disasters in the Hawaiian Islands.

According to them, forest fires often spew out glowing embers that sweep away houses, cars, etc., while trees are often not completely burned down and collapse thanks to the amount of water stored inside them.

To illustrate, Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering Michael Gollner at the University of California, USA, cited a 2008 federal report on the wildfire disaster in Lake Arrowhead, California, with images showing houses completely destroyed while surrounding trees remained standing.

Xuất hiện “thuyết âm mưu” về bão lửa Hawaii - Ảnh 3.

Many cars were burned by the wildfire disaster in the Hawaiian Islands - USA but nearby trees are still standing. Photo: AP

Similarly, Christopher Dunn, assistant professor of wildfire risk science at Oregon State University (USA), asserted that images of Maui showing trees and power poles still standing amid the fire-ravaged landscape were "completely normal."

Mr. Dunn provided photos of the 2020 fires in Oregon, in which homes were destroyed and trees remained upright, although some were charred.

"The bark and water inside the trees helped them stay standing after the bushfires," said Christopher Dunn. "This explains the fact that people can still cut down trees for wood after bushfires."

Professor of fire protection engineering at the University of Maryland, Mr. Arnaud Trouvé, also agrees with the above two comments.

In addition, this professor also believes that the burning of boats offshore in the Maui wildfire disaster was due to "wind blowing embers".

Xuất hiện “thuyết âm mưu” về bão lửa Hawaii - Ảnh 5.

Social media has been abuzz with "conspiracy theories" after images of a wildfire in Lahaina, Hawaii, burned down cars but trees and electric poles remained standing. Photo: AP

The first wildfires began to appear in Hawaii on the night of August 8 (US time). The US National Weather Service (NWS) previously issued a warning to Hawaii because the hot, dry area with strong winds is ideal for wildfires.

AP describes this as the most dangerous wildfire in the US in more than a century, killing at least 96 people and the cause is still undetermined.

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