Why Did the City of LA Defund Its Fire Department Last Year?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐇𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠

Four wildfires, including the Pacific Palisades fire and the Eaton fire, have burned at an alarming rate across Los Angeles County, causing the city of LA to declare a state of emergency and place over 100,000 people under evacuation orders.

Thousands of firefighters have been deployed to battle the blazes, but with limited resources, crews are overwhelmed and have even called on off-duty personnel for assistance.

Source: Los Angeles Times

𝐋𝐀𝐅𝐃 𝐁𝐮𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐂𝐮𝐭𝐬

Last year, the LA City Council and Mayor Karen Bass implemented a budget for the 2024–25 fiscal year that cut the LA Fire Department (LAFD)’s funding by $17.6 million, while increasing the LA Police Department (LAPD)’s funding by $126 million.

These budget cuts have left the LAFD unprepared to handle the devastating fires, compromising the safety of tens of thousands of LA residents, and underscore the consequences of reallocating funds from essential emergency services, particularly in a city prone to wildfires.

Source: LA City Controller

𝐀 𝐏𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐧 𝐨𝐟 𝐌𝐢𝐬𝐮𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐬

In addition to increasing the LAPD’s already bloated budget, the LA City Council previously made efforts to allocate $2 million of public funding to armed security firms, including a private security firm that employs former Israeli military personnel, amid significant budget deficits.

While the motion ultimately didn’t pass, it highlights a larger problem of city leadership irresponsibly deprioritizing essential community services that impact the health and safety of residents. To achieve true community safety, the city must prioritize investing in emergency preparedness and social services rather than funneling more money toward policing.

𝐖𝐢𝐝𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧

The wildfires are among the most destructive in LA county’s history, with flames destroying thousands of homes, businesses, and other structures, including Masjid Al-Taqwa, a historically Black mosque in Altadena, CA.

Click here to support the wildfire relief efforts: https://www.launchgood.com/v4/campaign/los_angeles_fire_relief_campaign_by_the_shura_council

LA County Resources
Evacuation Centers:

El Camino Real Charter High School (5440 Valley Circle Blvd., Woodland Hills)
Pasadena Convention Center (300 E. Green St., Pasadena)
Ritchie Valens Recreation Center (10736 Laurel Canyon Blvd., Pacoima)
Westwood Recreation Center (1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles)
Fire & Evacuation Updates:

County of Los Angeles
Los Angeles Fire Department
Cal Fire