Oregon Authorities Face Issues of Looting, Dangerous Conspiracies During Wildfires

The deadly west coast wildfires sparked over a month ago have killed at least 35 people with dozens more still missing. The massive fires stretching between Washington, Oregon and California have now destroyed almost 5 million acres of land. With fire season still expected to last several more months, states are finding themselves running into other issues. Oregon is currently trying to stave off looting which has become rampant. With law enforcement already stretched thin and residents being evacuated by the hundreds of thousands, the chaos has left parts of the state vulnerable. So far 15 people have been arrested for looting in abandoned hot zones. Dangerous and politically-motivated conspiracy theories are also being fought off within the state right now. Groups on both sides of the aisle are blaming the other for the destruction caused. The concern is private citizens may begin to take up arms and inappropriately defend themselves. Law enforcement agencies and the FBI are currently investigating the origins of these baseless theories.