Los Angeles wildfires: What could have minimised damage in catastrophic LA fires? ’It’s Catch-22’
4 days, 9 hours ago

Los Angeles wildfires: What could have minimised damage in catastrophic LA fires? ’It’s Catch-22’

Live Mint  

Catastrophic wildfires, fueled by a dangerous combination of "exceptional dryness" and strong winds, continued to ravage South California on Saturday. Meanwhile, Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said in an emotional interview with Fox 11 that her department’s budget was cut and "it did impact our ability to provide service". Experts told CNN that even fully functioning hydrants would not have been enough to battle these Los Angeles wildfires, particularly when air resources, such as helicopters and fixed-winged aircrafts were grounded due to the wind. Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley said that the budget cuts had affected the department’s training and fire prevention efforts. Bass also said additional funding had been allocated “to be distributed later on.” A spokesperson for City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield told CNN, "That additional funding amounted to a $53 million increase for the fire budget from the previous year."

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History of this topic

'She failed leadership test': Pressure mounts on LA mayor over fires response as toll rises to 25
4 hours, 36 minutes ago

'She failed leadership test': Pressure mounts on LA mayor over fires response as toll rises to 25

Firstpost  

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been facing criticism over her response to the wildfires in southern California as she travelled to Ghana when the deadly Palisades and Eaton fires broke out on Tuesday California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass tour the downtown business district of Pacific Palisades as the Palisades Fire continues to burn. Source: …

Los Angeles wildfires brace for monster winds: Firefighters on high alert – Disaster in numbers
Trending News
22 hours, 53 minutes ago

Los Angeles wildfires brace for monster winds: Firefighters on high alert – Disaster in numbers

Live Mint  

Firefighters in Los Angeles faced a critical challenge on Tuesday as hurricane-force winds threatened to intensify two devastating wildfires. Los Angeles City Fire Chief Kristin Crowley warned residents, stating, "This setup is about as bad as it gets. The fires have claimed 24 lives, with Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna indicating that the toll is expected to rise. Human …

Los Angeles fire chief at the center of public spat with City Hall as wildfires rage
Trending News
3 days, 6 hours ago

Los Angeles fire chief at the center of public spat with City Hall as wildfires rage

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. “LA’s fire chief has made not filling the …

California wildfire: Firefighters race to contain Los Angeles wildfires with menacing winds forecast to return
3 days, 9 hours ago

California wildfire: Firefighters race to contain Los Angeles wildfires with menacing winds forecast to return

The Hindu  

Firefighters raced Saturday to cut off spreading wildfires before potentially strong winds returned, which could push the flames toward the world-famous J. Paul Getty Museum and the University of California, Los Angeles. County Supervisor Lindsey Horvath said the LA area "had another night of unimaginable terror and heartbreak, and even more Angelenos evacuated due to the northeast expansion of the …

Fire chief Kristin Crowley balances criticism and crisis in Los Angeles wildfire fight
3 days, 11 hours ago

Fire chief Kristin Crowley balances criticism and crisis in Los Angeles wildfire fight

India Today  

Kristin Crowley, Los Angeles’ first female and openly gay fire chief, is at the center of mounting criticism as wildfires ravage the Pacific Palisades, destroying over 5,000 structures and marking the most destructive blaze in the city's history. Resource struggles amid crisis The wildfire in Pacific Palisades that has burned more than 5,000 structures to become the most destructive in …

Fire department funding and recruitment policy come under scrutiny as deadly Los Angeles blazes rage on
3 days, 11 hours ago

Fire department funding and recruitment policy come under scrutiny as deadly Los Angeles blazes rage on

CNN  

CNN — As firefighters continue to battle raging fires across Los Angeles County, a cut to the Los Angeles Fire Department 2025 budget and its commitment to recruiting a more diverse force have come under attack. Los Angeles Fire Commission President Genethia Hudley-Hayes said it’s “out of line” to blame any local official for the magnitude of the fires, saying …

Khloe Kardashian calls Los Angeles mayor ‘a joke’ amid ongoing wildfires
Trending News
3 days, 12 hours ago

Khloe Kardashian calls Los Angeles mayor ‘a joke’ amid ongoing wildfires

The Independent  

Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more Stay ahead of the curve with our weekly guide to the latest trends, fashion, relationships and more SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about …

L.A. fire chief meets with mayor after saying the city failed her agency
Trending News
4 days, 11 hours ago

L.A. fire chief meets with mayor after saying the city failed her agency

LA Times  

Kristin Crowley has been L.A.’s fire chief since 2022. She went on to describe the Fire Department as understaffed and underfunded, saying the situation is “no longer sustainable.” Hours later, Crowley was inside Bass’ office for a meeting so long that it intruded on the mayor’s nightly media briefing on the wildfires. So did the Fire Department, which issued a …

LA Mayor demanded $49M budget cuts for fire department, report reveals
Trending News
4 days, 19 hours ago

LA Mayor demanded $49M budget cuts for fire department, report reveals

Daily Mail  

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass demanded her Fire Department make an extra $49million of budget cuts last week, a leaked memo revealed. The extra cuts, requested just days before fires broke out and devastated swathes of Los Angeles, would have shut down 16 fire stations and crippled the department's ability to respond to emergencies, sources said. DailyMail.com interviewed current and …

California wildfires: Cause still unknown, new blaze forces more evacuations; loss likely at $150 bn
5 days ago

California wildfires: Cause still unknown, new blaze forces more evacuations; loss likely at $150 bn

Firstpost  

The government in California has not yet released figures on the cost of the damage or specifics about how many structures burned. However, reports say at least five churches, a synagogue, seven schools, two libraries, boutiques, bars, restaurants, banks and groceries were burned Firefighters look over a home after the Eaton Fire burns in Altadena, Calif., Thursday, January 9, 2025. …

Did Mayor Karen Bass really cut the fire department budget? The answer gets tricky
5 days, 11 hours ago

Did Mayor Karen Bass really cut the fire department budget? The answer gets tricky

LA Times  

When Mayor Karen Bass unveiled her budget plan for 2024-25, she called for a 2.7% reduction in spending at the Los Angeles Fire Department. After the question was posed multiple times, she said, “Yes.” City Administrative Officer Matt Szabo, whose office helps prepare the city budget, said that overall fire department overtime, counting all categories, actually increased in this year’s …

Why was LA Mayor Karen Bass in Ghana as devastating wildfires broke out?
5 days, 16 hours ago

Why was LA Mayor Karen Bass in Ghana as devastating wildfires broke out?

The Independent  

The latest headlines from our reporters across the US sent straight to your inbox each weekday Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US Your briefing on the latest headlines from across the US SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy As the first home …

Sarah Michelle Gellar and other stars turn on LA mayor and Gavin Newsom over fire response
5 days, 17 hours ago

Sarah Michelle Gellar and other stars turn on LA mayor and Gavin Newsom over fire response

The Independent  

Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter for all the latest entertainment news and reviews Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter Sign up to our free IndyArts newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy Sarah Michelle Gellar has expressed frustration with Los Angeles Mayor Karen …

The causes of the California wildfires are closer to home than you think
5 days, 18 hours ago

The causes of the California wildfires are closer to home than you think

The Independent  

If we build on flood plains, properties will flood. John Vaillant, author of the bestselling and quite unputdownable Fire Weather: The Making of a Beast, likes to say we think we live in a “magic bubble” of denial. As Vaillant wrote about a huge fire in Vancouver in August last year: “While researching Fire Weather, I interviewed a lot of …

California wildfires show we are not prepared for climate change
6 days, 11 hours ago

California wildfires show we are not prepared for climate change

Salon  

I spent most of the evening on January 7, a Christmas Day celebrated by Orthodox Christians around the world, monitoring local news and emergency apps for evacuation alerts for the Los Angeles area. As one writer pointed out on X on Tuesday night, “this is how people turn into climate refugees.” As Salon has previously reported, nowhere will be safe …

Los Angeles mayor cut fire budget by $17 million months before wildfire: Report
6 days, 11 hours ago

Los Angeles mayor cut fire budget by $17 million months before wildfire: Report

India Today  

The Los Angeles mayor, Karen Bass, has come under severe criticism for cutting the budget allocation for the fire department as the massive wildfire rages uncontrollably, destroying thousands of homes across vast acres in Pacific Palisades and nearby areas, forcing over a lakh residents to evacuate. Mayor Bass slashed the fire department budget by more than $17 million last year, …

Mayor Karen Bass faces fierce criticism for overseas trip, budget cuts as LA fires rage
6 days, 11 hours ago

Mayor Karen Bass faces fierce criticism for overseas trip, budget cuts as LA fires rage

CNN  

CNN — As the most destructive fire in Los Angeles area history rages, Mayor Karen Bass faces criticism over the timing of an overseas trip and budget cuts made months ago that affected the city’s fire department. A utilities worker views damage from the Palisades Fire, in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, on Sunday, January 12. John Locher/AP …

LA fires: The disaster in California just revealed a very grim truth.
6 days, 11 hours ago

LA fires: The disaster in California just revealed a very grim truth.

Slate  

Sign up for the Slatest to get the most insightful analysis, criticism, and advice out there, delivered to your inbox daily. Going into early Wednesday morning, even more fires started within the county and consumed hundreds of acres, while Palisades fire hydrants found themselves sapped of water. Just one day after Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook and Instagram would no …

L.A. City Council approves Mayor Karen Bass’ budget, cutting 1,700 vacant positions
7 months, 3 weeks ago

L.A. City Council approves Mayor Karen Bass’ budget, cutting 1,700 vacant positions

LA Times  

The Los Angeles City Council signed off on Mayor Karen Bass’ $12.8-billion budget on Thursday, cutting 1,700 vacant positions and engaging in a back-and-forth over police spending. “There’s no sugarcoating the reality that we face next year,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, who heads the council’s five-member budget committee. In a statement, he said the mayor’s office would “continue the urgent …

California Firefighting Agency Requests Another $234 Million For 2018
6 years, 4 months ago

California Firefighting Agency Requests Another $234 Million For 2018

NPR  

California Firefighting Agency Requests Another $234 Million For 2018 Enlarge this image toggle caption Noah Berger/AP Noah Berger/AP As fall — usually California's busiest fire season — approaches, officials say the agency that oversees emergency fire responses is running out of money. Cal Fire's director, Ken Pimlott, asked lawmakers for an additional $234 million to be made available as soon …

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