Disbanding your fire department is like axing fact-checkers, former CNN journo complains amid LA wildfires.

Some sources have likened fact-checkers to firefighters battling a "blaze" of conspiracy theories, as flames persist in Los Angeles County.

On Monday, CNN published a report criticizing Meta's decision to eliminate its third-party fact-checking system, stating that it was done in light of "misinformation" about the wildfires.

A journalist compared fact-checkers to fire departments in an article titled "Soon to be out of a job, Meta’s fact-checkers battle a blaze of wildfire conspiracy theories."

The article stated that rumors and speculation about the disaster started circulating online, eventually leading to a wild blaze of vast conspiracy theories.

Disbanding fact-checkers from social platforms is like cutting off your fire department, said former CNN journalist Alan Duke, who founded a fact-checking outlet funded by Meta.

News about the Los Angeles fires continued developing as fact-checkers were likened to firefighters battling wildfires, similar to other sites.

On Jan. 7, hours before the wildfires started, Full Fact CEO Chris Morris, who was linked to Facebook, referred to fact-checkers as "first responders" and expressed his disappointment.

"Fact-checkers are the first responders in the information environment, safeguarding elections, protecting public health, and dissipating potential unrest on the streets. Our specialists are trained to work in a way that promotes credible evidence and prioritizes tackling harmful information, as we believe the public has a right to access our expertise."

A Forbes report on Sunday compared the spread of conspiracy theories to "wildfire" in criticizing Meta's decision as a "ominous signal."

"The Forbes article stated that the decision of a powerful company to step back from its responsibility to fight misinformation is not only a corporate decision but also part of a societal crisis. At a time when conspiracy theories are spreading rapidly and trust in institutions is at an all-time low, this move highlights the gravity of the situation."

Since their inception in 2016, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg has admitted that the company's content moderation practices have become too strict.

"Zuckerberg announced that the company will focus on reducing errors, simplifying policies, and restoring free expression on its platforms. In particular, fact-checkers will be eliminated and replaced with Community Notes similar to X, beginning in the U.S."

While Zuckerberg defended his decision to remove fact-checkers as promoting "free expression," many liberal critics deemed it "dangerous."