MAGA Blames Homeless in Deranged California Fires Theory

MAGA nation is pinning blame for California’s wildfires on Democrats, as well as a less typical target: the state’s homeless population.

The popular far-right X account @LibsOfTikTok, which has over 3.9 million followers, is pushing the bizarre theory as blazes rage across Southern California on Wednesday, forcing 80,000 people to evacuate.

A post from the account pointed to reporting from the past several years showing that some fires break out at the state’s homeless encampments when the inhabitants tap into underground electrical wiring for power.

While California has a homeless population of around 187,000 (the nation’s largest), there are other important factors that contribute to its penchant for wildfires—such as climate change.

And there has been no indication that any of the four major fires currently blazing in the state began at homeless encampments.

Nevertheless, the link between fires and homelessness has since been echoed by other MAGA media, including far-right personalities such as Ryan Matta and Savanah Hernandez.

Donald Trump, meanwhile, has limited his condemnation over the fire to Democrats—reigniting a feud with Gov. Gavin Newsom.

Using his preferred nickname for the Democratic leader, Trump wrote Wednesday on Truth Social, “Governor Gavin Newscum refused to sign the water restoration declaration put before him that would have allowed millions of gallons of water, from excess rain and snow melt from the North, to flow daily into many parts of California, including the areas that are currently burning in a virtually apocalyptic way.”

In September, while Trump was campaigning for president, he had vowed not to fund California’s wildfire defense unless the state channeled more of its water to farmers rather than to the San Francisco Bay, where it aids wildlife, according to The New York Times.

With Trump’s second presidency fast approaching, he threatened Newsom with retribution.

“He wanted to protect an essentially worthless fish called a smelt, by giving it less water (it didn’t work!), but didn’t care about the people of California,” he wrote in his post. “Now the ultimate price is being paid. I will demand that this incompetent governor allow beautiful, clean, fresh water to FLOW INTO CALIFORNIA! He is the blame for this.”

Other prominent members of MAGA nation have mirrored Trump’s blame toward Democrats.

Charlie Kirk, a MAGA pundit with 4.3 million followers, wrote on X, “Three friends of mine have lost their homes in the LA fires. What is happening in California is a tragedy. This is all the Democrats' fault. No water, no plan, and zero pre-emptive forest management.”

In fact, Newsom’s office in January 2021 released an 84-page plan to fight wildfires.

Trump’s rhetoric about water was also by echoed @LibsOfTikTok, which also hit out at the Los Angeles Fire Department for focusing too much on diversity quotas.

“There’s no water coming out of the fire hydrants because the city didn’t fill the reservoirs but at least the fire chief is a woman and gay!” the account posted.

According to an LA ABC affiliate, Kristin Crowley is both the first woman and gay person to head the city’s fire department—a fact that @LibsOfTikTok noted in a separate post but asked, “Does this make you feel safer?”

Meanwhile, Newsom has said that over 1,400 of the state’s firefighters have been deployed to battle the out-of-control blaze, which have killed at least two and injured many, according to the Associated Press.