Strictly Business Daily Variety -- How Misinformation Has Complicated L.A.'s Recovery From 2025's Firestorm
Jan 7, 2026
Jacob Soboroff, NBC News correspondent and author of "Firestorm: The Great Los Angeles Fires and America’s New Age of Disaster," dives into the chaotic world of misinformation during the 2025 L.A. firestorm. He discusses how disinformation muddled evacuation efforts and hindered recovery. Jacob reflects on the political tensions that emerged among leaders like Newsom and Biden as the fires raged. He also examines the struggles of the entertainment industry, infrastructure vulnerabilities, and the personal toll of loss amidst such disasters.
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Personal Loss And A Reporter’s Catharsis
- Jacob Soboroff witnessed his childhood hometown, Pacific Palisades, being incinerated in real time and later chronicled the experience in his book Firestorm.
- He describes the event as both a personal loss and a preview of risks his children may face in the future.
A New, Compound Kind Of Disaster
- The 2025 Los Angeles fires represented a new, compound kind of disaster driven by climate, infrastructure decay, and social factors.
- Jacob Soboroff argues misinformation amplified damage and complicated recovery efforts.
Politics And Misinformation Hampered Response
- Political discord and public misinformation degraded coordinated response and slowed recovery after the fires.
- Soboroff highlights how high-profile figures injected competing narratives that confused residents and responders.
