Conspiracy theories blaming Jews for Europe's wildfires are spreading online, Cyberwell warns

Cyberwell, an NGO combating online antisemitism, has alerted X/Twitter to a new wave of conspiracy theories blaming Jews for wildfires in Norway, France, and Spain. The organization identified 'nearly identical narratives' in multiple languages, claiming Jews deliberately sparked or orchestrated the fires. Content on Norway wildfires surpassed 2 million views on X, and Spain content reached over 69,100 users. Cyberwell noted similar theories emerged after previous crises, and CEO Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor compared the narratives to Nazi propaganda.

Cyberwell, an organization dedicated to combating online antisemitism, has alerted X/Twitter to a new wave of conspiracy theories blaming Jews for wildfires across Europe. In a statement released on Monday, the NGO reported identifying 'nearly identical narratives' regarding recent wildfires in Norway, France, and Spain, which it says reinforce a 'recurring pattern of event-driven antisemitism.' The organization's analysts found posts in English, French, and Spanish claiming that Jewish people deliberately sparked the fires or orchestrated them for political or financial gain. Cyberwell reported that content on the Norway wildfires surpassed 2 million views on X, 'helping transform an isolated conspiracy into a broader wave of antisemitic content.' Content on Spain's wildfires reached more than 69,100 users. The statement noted that similar theories emerged following the Los Angeles wildfires in 2025 and the Patagonia wildfires earlier this year, as well as after the White House Correspondents' Dinner shooting and the hantavirus outbreak. Cyberwell's CEO, Tal-Or Cohen Montemayor, said that 'the same scapegoating stories, once popular in Nazi propaganda during the Third Reich, now trend on every major social media platform after a crisis.' The organization highlighted the use of dehumanizing language, calls to expel Jews, and the 'Happy Merchant' caricature, and referenced the IHRA Working Definition of Antisemitism.