A directed-energy weapon started the Maui wildfires
| A directed-energy weapon started the Maui wildfires | |
|---|---|
| FALSE | |
| "The August 2023 wildfires that destroyed Lahaina, Maui, were started by a "directed-energy weapon," a laser or beam fired from space or aircraft." | |
| Domain | Disasters & Emergencies |
| Tactic | Conspiracy Theory False Context |
| Era | Current |
| First seen | August 2023 |
| Origin | Social media posts in the days after the fire, using images of burned houses beside unburned trees and photos of unrelated events |
| Last reviewed | 2026-10-29 |
| Further reading: books on Disasters & Emergencies | |
The wildfire that destroyed much of Lahaina on Maui on August 8, 2023, killed about 100 people, one of the deadliest US wildfires in a century. Posts claimed that a directed-energy weapon caused it. Investigators traced the disaster to downed power lines in extreme winds, and Hawaiian Electric acknowledged that its lines started a fire that morning.
The claim
Posts pointed to houses burned to ash beside green trees and to blue roofs and cars that survived as signs of a secret beam weapon. Many images came from other fires or explosions.
What the evidence shows
- Power lines. Video and investigations showed fires starting near downed lines in winds of more than 60 miles per hour from a passing hurricane.
- Fire behavior. Wind-driven embers ignite houses while living trees with high moisture often survive, a pattern seen in many wildfires.
- Misused images. Fact-checkers found that photos presented as beam strikes showed rocket launches, transformer explosions and other events.
See also
Sources
- Associated Press, fact checks on Maui wildfire claims, August 2023.
- Fire Safety Research Institute, Lahaina Fire Comprehensive Timeline Report, 2024.