How rumors and conspiracy theories got in the way of Maui's fire recovery

https://www.npr.org/2023/09/28/ [login to see] /how-rumors-and-conspiracy-theories-got-in-the-way-of-mauis-fire-recovery
After the wildfires in Lahaina on the Hawaiian island of Maui last month, unsubstantiated rumors and conspiracy theories spread nearly as fast as the flames had. There was the one about the government – in some versions it was the U.S., in others a foreign government – using energy beam weapons to start the fire. Others blamed Oprah, the wealthy media mogul, and falsely claimed she was making a land grab. Still others claimed the fires were a cover up for military malfeasance.