Fact Check: Are LA firefighters battling blazes using women's handbags?

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: The wildfires in Los Angeles have continued to cause massive devastation as they have burnt down more than 27,000 acres in the LA area and at least 11 people have died, with officials warning the true toll won’t be clear until it’s safe for investigators to go into neighborhoods.

However, amid all the chaos, a rumor has made its way across social media platforms claiming that the LA firefighters were battling blazes using women's handbags. But is there any truth to this? Let us find out below.

Claim: LA firefighters battle blazes using women's handbags

In a viral online footage, crew members from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) were seen putting out a trash fire using black and tan bags containing water drawn from a fire engine.

Moreover, these objects were identified by social media users as "women's handbags" or "purses." 

An X user posted a video and wrote in the caption, "I promise you can’t make this up! The Los Angeles Fire Department is using women’s handbags to gather water in their fight against the blaze. What is going on?"

Another user posted, "Firefighters have been reduced to using women’s handbags to put out fires with….ridiculous #PalisadesFire."

False: Firefighters use collapsible buckets to battle blazes

While the footage authentically shows firefighters in action in Los Angeles, the claims made by social media users are false. The LAFD confirmed through an email that the containers seen in the clip are collapsible buckets, according to Snopes.

Notably, the items have flexible sides and handles like commercially available collapsible buckets. 

The LAFD wrote about the equipment, per the outlet, "Our firefighters are resilient and will continually adapt to various situations. They are using collapsible water buckets to put out this trash bin fire, not bags."

Interestingly, Nathan Holguin, the journalist who recorded the viral footage, said he was covering one of the major fires - the Palisades Fire west of Los Angeles - near a strip mall on Palisades Drive on January 7 when he saw firefighters putting out the trash fire, according to Snopes.

He identified the equipment firefighters were using as collapsible buckets, per the outlet.

Los Angeles wildfires cause massive destruction

Massive wildfires have ravaged Los Angeles since Tuesday, January 7, killing at least 11 people and have destroyed large swaths of California's prized coastline while burning entire neighborhoods.

Officials stated that flames from the Palisades and Eaton fires destroyed tens of thousands of acres and thousands of structures as firefighters worked to contain blazes, according to CBS News.

Furthermore, early estimates suggest that the total damage and economic loss due to the wildfires could range anywhere between $60 billion to as high as $130 billion, according to Wells Fargo.

Moreover, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection has included the Eaton and Palisades fires in the state's list of most destructive wildfires. The agency has already included them among the largest fires to impact LA County.