A massive wildfire in Los Angeles, California, has led to public criticism of Mayor Karen Bass for cutting the fire department’s budget by $17 million in the 2024–25 fiscal year. Despite the mayor’s assurance of sufficient resources, the record-breaking wildfire damage has intensified public outrage. The budget reductions focused on equipment purchases, although other fire-related expenses were approved by the city council. Fire Chief Crowley’s warnings about the impact of budget cuts on emergency response have gained attention, particularly after his admission that firefighting capabilities were limited during the wildfire. The disaster has claimed at least 16 lives, left 13 people missing, destroyed over 10,000 buildings, and forced the evacuation of over 100,000 residents. Estimated damages could reach up to $150 billion, approaching the scale of Hurricane Katrina in 2005.