A compilation video of wildfires in Argentina was uploaded on Facebook (FB) and Tiktok and passed off as scenes from the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict.
This is false. The video shows the fires that ravaged areas in Argentina this October, not Israeli or Palestinian territories.
Posted on Oct. 14, the one-minute and seven-second FB video contains five clips showing wildfires in various areas. The video bore the text:
“NAKAKA PANINDIG BALAHIBO (HAIR-RAISING) ISRAEL VS PALESTINE WAR UPDATE 2023.”
Through reverse image search, VERA Files Fact Check traced the context of the clips and found that they were all taken in Argentina’s Córdoba province. The forest fire started on Oct. 10 and spread amid intense heat waves before it was contained the following day.
A drone shot of a wall of flames and smoke approaching Villa Carlos Paz City in Córdoba was used in the compilation. The footage was taken by Federico Krypner and uploaded on Oct. 11 in Storyful.
Note: Click on the photos to view their original source
Another clip shows residents on a highway in Cabalango, another town in Córdoba, with fires in the background. The clip was published by several news outlets.
These clips showing the wildfire nearing Villa Carlos Paz were also featured:
- A video of the wildfire taken from an elevated place first posted by FB page Meteorología Argentina y mundial on Oct. 11. This was also used in reports by other media outlets.
- A clip showing a residential area as smoke billows in the background that was featured in ADN 40’s Oct. 11 YouTube post and other reports.
- A recording of the fire taken from a multi-story building, uploaded by FB page Meteorología Argentina y mundial on Oct. 11.
The erroneous FB reel has drawn 8,500 reactions, 842 comments, 3,100 shares and 349,000 views as of this writing. The TikTok video uploaded by user walangjowavlog also received 25,600 reactions, 1084 comments, 1863 shares and 1,500,000 views.
VERA Files Fact Check has been debunking posts related to the Israel-Hamas conflict since tensions escalated more than two weeks ago. (Read MISLEADING video shows Beirut explosion, NOT Israel-Hamas conflict)
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(Editor’s Note: VERA Files has partnered with Facebook to fight the spread of disinformation. Find out more about this partnership and our methodology.)
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