LA Mayor Karen Bass Cuts Fire Department Budget by $17.6M Amid Wildfires, 30,000 Evacuated

Jan 8, 2025, 04:07 PM

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass cut the city's fire department budget by $17.6 million for the current fiscal year, a decision that has come under scrutiny as wildfires have ravaged parts of the city. The budget cut, the second-largest in the fiscal year 2024-25 budget, was part of a broader effort to address a $300 million overspend. Bass had initially proposed even higher cuts of $23 million to the fire department. The reduction in funding occurred while the police department's budget saw an increase of $126 million. Amid the wildfires, over 30,000 residents were evacuated, and the Los Angeles Fire Department issued a plea for off-duty firefighters to help combat the blazes. The mayor was in Ghana during the outbreak of the fires, attending the inauguration of the Ghanaian president, and faced backlash for her absence as the city dealt with the crisis.