Here are the main points from the article:
Los Angeles Wildfires
- A brush fire in the Pacific Palisades has killed at least 5 people and burned over 22,000 acres, with 11% containment.
- Tens of thousands of people have fled their homes, with approximately 331,000 affected by evacuation advisories (139,000 under evacuation warnings and 191,000 under evacuation orders).
- Over 12,000 structures have been destroyed, including at least 5,000 in the Palisades Fire.
Los Angeles Fire Department Funding
- The city’s fire department budget was cut by $17.6 million (2%) between the 2024-25 and 2023-24 fiscal years.
- Despite this, the city council approved a 4-year, $203 million contract with the firefighter’s union to boost wages and health benefits.
Fire Chief Kristin Crowley
- Crowley, a 25-year veteran of the LAFD, is the agency’s first LGBTQ fire chief.
- She has been critical of the budget cuts, stating that they have “severely impacted” the department’s ability to repair apparatus and respond to emergencies.
- Speculation about her dismissal was refuted by the department, with Crowley meeting with Mayor Karen Bass on Friday to reaffirm their priorities: fighting the wildfires and safeguarding Angelenos.
Response Efforts
- Firefighters are working to contain the fires, with additional resources being deployed to support the efforts.
- Authorities have warned that the death toll may continue to rise as teams sift through debris in the coming days.