The Los Angeles Fire Department had its budget cut by a staggering $17.6 million this financial year, records show — as fire crews continue to battle out-of-control blazes ravaging the City of Angels.
The drastic decrease in funding for the fire department was the second-largest cut to come out of embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass‘ 2024-25 fiscal year budget, according to city figures.
The police budget, meanwhile, increased by $126 million, a graphic shared by LA City Controller Kenneth Mejia shows.
Bass had initially wanted to cut the fire department by even more — a staggering $23 million.
The details on Bass’ budget slashing resurfaced as the mayor faced widespread backlash Wednesday after it was revealed she was away in Africa for the Ghana president’s inauguration — even as wind-whipped wildfires turned parts of her city into an apocalyptic hellscape.
In her absence, Bass found time to praise firefighters and other emergency crews for working “overnight to protect Angelenos affected by fires.”
“Angelenos should be advised that the windstorm is expected to worsen through the morning and to heed local warnings, stay vigilant and stay safe,” Bass said in a post on X.
The swift devastation of the PalisadesFire is horrible. And then it dawns on you that Trump, set to take office in 13 days, has threatened publicly to cut wildfire aid to the state.
@5HR5J5FCentre-Right2wks2W
You MUST remove forest debris for a healthy forest. We used to do controlled burns in California.
Environmentalists don’t like them.
This is what we get then
EVERY SINGLE YEAR
@GrumpyOilRepublican2wks2W
Do you not understand now dangerous Newsom has been with his insane forest policy?
Davis, Schwarzenegger and Brown ALL understood you have to get rid of dead wood in forests because they’re like matches!
Why are you people this dumb?
@L1b3rtyChuckLibertarian2wks2W
So why isn’t there better protection now? Where is the money going?
Controlled burn and brush clean up. Republican policies not Dem. How do you think it was handled 100 years ago +? Or is this a new thing? Don't expect an answer for simple questions
President Trump correctly warned Gavin Newscum that he needed to change the way the state of California managed their forests before a disaster happened again.
Newscum didn’t listen. A disaster is happening yet again.
These fires are on Gavin.
@SoulfulOryxRepublican2wks2W
Of course. Are we forgetting the “raked forest” days from 2018 that DJT believed would have fended off California blazes? Not that he or his worshipers care to see California in any condition other than charred.
@8VY44CNCentre-Right2wks2W
100%. People always laugh at Trump because they have been told by the media that he’s dumb or doesn’t know what he’s talking about when in reality he absolutely does.
@Koala1965Green2wks2W
I wonder if people will start respecting climate science
@CulturedSheepRepublican2wks2W
California fails to manage brush and refuses to follow through with new reservoir builds so it can protect a tiny fish and wildfires happen, almost always started by humans.
Libs: “This is climate change.”
@B2B95HM2wks2W
Fire department in california needs more funding.
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