Henry Winkler riles up conspiracists with L.A. fire theory

Affable Henry Winkler isn’t known for trafficking in conspiracy theories or misinformation, but the “Happy Days” actor apparently couldn’t help latching onto the idea that the catastrophic Palisades and Eaton fires in Southern California must be the the result of arson.

“THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,” Winkler posted on X Tuesday night, even urging vigilantes to take matters in their own hands if they catch the supposed firebug. “May you be beaten unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!”

This arson idea has been ricocheting around online as people have tried to wrap their heads around two massive, out-of-control fires erupting Tuesday about 40 miles apart in the Los Angeles Area. Four other fires also have been burning in the area over the past couple days.

It’s understandable that Winkler and others would be looking to understand why such devastation has occurred, especially following Wednesday’s outbreak of another blaze, the Sunset fire, in the Hollywood Hills, right above Hollywood Boulevard. Fortunately, the Sunset fire has been fully contained, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Thursday.

Winkler’s own Brentwood home was in an evacuation zone for the Palisades fire, which has burned more than 19,000 acres and destroyed more than 5,000 businesses and homes in the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood, officials announced Thursday.

Winkler hasn’t said whether his home was damaged. He canceled a scheduled speaking engagement Wednesday night in Walnut Creek because he had to stay home and deal with the emergency, it was announced by the event organizers, the Newsmaker Lesher Speakers Series. Over the past day, he’s been sharing news about celebrity friends like Billy Crystal and Martin Short, whose homes were destroyed.

Other people online have lashed out at Winkler for spreading panic or calls for vigilante justice, the Daily Beast reported. “My opinion of you just sank,” one person said. “What good does physically harming them do? it would be upsetting to do and upsetting to watch. But locking them up would do some good,”

A spokesperson for the Los Angeles Fire Department also told TMZ that investigators haven’t determined a cause yet for the fires.

“There’s no way to know at this moment exactly where and how the series of fires started, but an investigation is underway,” the spokesperson told TMZ. The outlet also explained that Winkler may have jumped to the conclusion that arson was involved because the fires are being investigated by “the arson squad,” TMZ reported.

But this team investigates every major fire, regardless of whether it’s known whether arson was involved, TMZ reported.

Still, Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone indicated at a press conference Thursday that arson had not been ruled out in the Eaton fire, saying that the five reported deaths in the blaze would be investigated as a homicide if the fire was determined to have been intentionally set.

People responding positively to Winkler’s post agreed that it’s hard to believe that fires would jump “for miles and miles.” One person concluded that the Palisades and Eaton fires, as well as the smaller Sunset, Hurst and Lidia fires, must be either be “an arsonist or terror attack.”

The fast-moving Palisades fire was first reported at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday in the coastal mountains above the upscale Los Angeles neighborhood. The Eaton fire was first reported on Tuesday night and has since burned more than 10,000 acres. Yet another wildland fire, dubbed the Kennith fire, broke out near Woodland Hills Thursday afternoon.

Journalist Jemele Hill, responding to “Community” actor Yvette Nicole Brown’s arson-theory Threads post, said she had heard from “Native Californians,” who said that the “evil … start setting” other fires “just to the see the calamity” once one fire gets going.

The Daily Beast reported that pro-Donald Trump, MAGA-leaning commentators used Winkler’s claim as an opportunity to slam climate change claims and California Gov. Gavin Newsom’s management of state water resources.

“His name is Gavin Newsom.” wrote one commentator about Winkler’s “arsonist” claim. “His policies are the reason you’re in the mess you are right now.”