FAKE images of the Hollywood sign going up in flames are spreading even more panic as at least five wildfires in and around Los Angeles have devastated southern California.

The fires have burned through thousands of homes and businesses, killing five and causing 130,000 residents to flee as officials said there’s no sign of the blazes stopping anytime soon.

While the Palisades fire has been named the most devastating wildfire in history and the Eaton fire rips through Altadena and Pasadena, another blaze was started on Wednesday night.

The latest blaze, the Sunset Fire, is spreading throughout the Hollywood Hills – which is where the iconic Hollywood sign is located.

But fake images generated by artificial intelligence have caused even more fears about the fire’s trail of destruction.

Pictures and videos circulating on social media show the iconic sign at the top of Hollywood surrounded by flames.

However, the sign is fully intact, according to live footage of the area.

Adam Jones, an AI specialist from Host Havoc, told The U.S. Sun that AI-generated images can easily spread misinformation during emergencies like the ongoing wildfires.

“These digitally fabricated visuals not only mislead the public but also exacerbate panic in times of crisis,” Jones said.

The Hollywood sign is over two miles to the east from the Sunset Fire, which is centered in Runyon Canyon Park.

The sign is also about a mile from the edge of the mandatory evacuation zone, according to Cal Fire’s latest information.

The U.S. Sun’s calls to LAFD about the Hollywood sign went unanswered on Thursday morning as fire crews continue to fight to control the flames.

Griffith Observatory management, which manages the sign, told the U.S. Sun they’re unable to comment on the videos and deferred to fire officials for updates.

Jones said AI tools make it “easier than ever” to create “hyper-realistic” images and videos.

“These tools can manipulate existing footage or generate entirely fabricated scenes, often indistinguishable from reality to the untrained eye,” he explained.

“When such content is shared on social media platforms, it quickly gains traction, especially during emotionally charged events like wildfires.”

NO SMOKE

Andy LoCascio, co-founder of a tech company called Eternos that allows you to create a digital AI twin, also said it’s nearly obvious to identify the footage as false.

“The photo is certainly AI generated as the flames are not to scale and there is no smoke,” LoCascio told The U.S. Sun.

“That probably took someone 15 minutes of trial and error to get that.”

LoCascio said the video was likely built using an “off-the-shelf video editing program” by putting a video of the Hollywood sign over an actual video of the fire.

He added the creator tried to make it look more real by panning out.

“People are creating these because they want the traffic with or without monetization,” LoCascio said.

Jones said while there are telltale signs to tell if an image is fake or AI-generated, social media users should always double-check before sharing anything.