**SIMI VALLEY FIRE (Updated 7:15 PM PST): OFFICIALS CONFIRM 50% of the BLAZE IS CONTAINED, but a VIRAL VIDEO CLAIMING to SHOW “ANCIENT PETROGLYPHS UNCOVERED by the FLAMES” IS DEBUNKED as FAKE.**

SIMI VALLEY FIRE (Updated 7:15 PM PST): OFFICIALS CONFIRM 50% OF THE BLAZE IS CONTAINED, BUT A VIRAL VIDEO CLAIMING TO SHOW “ANCIENT PETROGLYPHS UNCOVERED BY THE FLAMES” IS DEBUNKED AS FAKE.

What’s Real: The Simi Valley Fire, which started north of the 118 Freeway near Rocky Peak, has now scorched 1,200 acres. Evacuation orders remain in place for Porter Ranch and parts of Santa Susana. The Ventura County Fire Department confirms that 850 firefighters are on the line, and a Red Flag Warning remains in effect due to gusty Santa Ana winds. No structural damage has been reported as of this evening.

What’s Viral (and Fake): A dramatic 30-second video is circulating on TikTok and X, showing what appears to be charred rock formations with ancient carvings of spirals and figures being revealed as ash is blown away. The caption reads: “Simi Valley fire reveals ancient Chumash petroglyphs hidden for centuries.”

The Reality Check: This video is 100% FAKE. Archaeologists from California State University, Northridge, have identified the footage as a digitally altered clip from a 2019 wildfire in Australia. The “petroglyphs” in the video are actually a known art installation in the Mojave Desert, not native to the Simi Valley area. Furthermore, the Chumash tribe, whose ancestral lands include the region, confirms no new petroglyph discoveries have been made in connection with the current fire. The video is a hoax designed to exploit the emotional draw of the disaster for engagement.

Verdict: 🔥 Real fire. 📹 Fake video. Do not share the petroglyph clip.