Henry Winkler lost his cool when he shared a tweet suggesting that the deadly LA wildfires were caused by an arsonist, who should be “beaten” “unrecognizable.” Sparking the interest of the online community, officials addressed the viral post, hoping to douse the flames of the theory before it burned out of control.
Only two days after one of North America’s largest cities started battling the wind-fueled wildfires, Henry Winkler, best known as the super cool Fonzie, took to X, expressing his concerns about the devastation across Los Angeles.
“THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA,” the 79-year-old Happy Days star wrote on X. Winkler who owns a home in the upscale Brentwood neighborhood of LA, adds, “May you be beaten you unrecognizable!!! The pain you have caused!!!”
The tweet – viewed by 7.1 million people – was met with applause from fans who flooded Winkler’s post with positive comments.
“I was wondering about this thought…because no one has said how it was caused,” tweets one user. A second suggests that it was “probably a multiple arsonists.”
“Agreed. I’ve always thought that, and I have suspicions of who sent them too. Some people are so jealous of California,” shares a third.
Further probing Winkler’s post, another user asks “Is this a single arsonist or an organized network? There are a number of fires that have started…it’s highly feasible that this is an organized effort.”
While Fonzie’s candid message received widespread support, it also sparked a wave of criticism.
“Henry, you [used] to be cool now you are a whiny idiot,” tweets one, while a second shares, “Conspiracy theories incoming.”
A third, referencing Winkler’s political leaning, adds “Nice to see you all finally outraged about something other than Trump.”
THERE IS an ARSONIST here in LA . May you be beaten you unrecognizable !!! The pain you have caused !!!
— Henry Winkler (@hwinkler4real) January 9, 2025
‘No conclusive evidence’
Members of the online community weren’t the only ones attempting to extinguish Winkler’s accusations.
In a statement shared with TMZ, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) said, “There’s no way to know at this moment exactly where and how the series of fires started, but an investigation is underway.”
TMZ also claimed that the LAFD confirmed their arson squad is investigating the fires in the area. While this might sound alarming, it’s standard protocol for any large-scale fire.
And California fire chief David Acuna told BBC that there isn’t “any conclusive evidence” that the fires were purposely lit.
‘People lighting fires’
Yet, Winkler’s tweet continues to spark a heated online debate about the possibility of the wildfire being deliberate.
Andrew Huberman, a professor of neurobiology at Stanford University shared a disturbing clip in the comments section of Winkler’s post, where he accuses people of starting the fires.
“People are lighting fires in otherwise non-burning urban areas of LA. Saw this happen firsthand at 302 Pico in Santa Monica. Called it in & fire dept & police responded. Stay safe and call in any activity ASAP. We don’t need more flames out here,” he writes.
Huberman’s clip has attracted the attention 10 million people, including Elon Musk, who simply responded, “WOW.”
People are lighting fires in otherwise non-burning urban areas of LA. Saw this happen first hand at 302 Pico in Santa Monica. Called it in & fire dept & police responded. Stay safe and call in any activity ASAP. We don’t need more flames out here. pic.twitter.com/AZ4GLr6N3q
— Andrew D. Huberman, Ph.D. (@hubermanlab) January 9, 2025
Authorities have yet to identify an official cause for the remaining fires, including the Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, which stand as the two most devastating blazes in California’s history.
What do you think of Winkler suggesting the deadly fires, that so far have killed 24 people, was intentionally started? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story so we can hear what others have to say!
