The heart of Los Angeles is on fire. In the span of
only 2 days so far, entire neighborhoods have been reduced to ashes due to the Palisades, Eaton, Hurst, and additional fires. Thousands of homes, schools, and businesses are gone. At least five lives have already been lost.
These are the most devastating wildfires Los Angeles has seen in years, yet the fire department - the city's first line of defense - has been critically underfunded when they're needed most.Sign this petition to demand that the L.A. City Council prioritize public safety and restore the fire department's budget without delay. Lives depend on it.Several months ago, Mayor Karen Bass and the L.A. City Council slashed $17.6 million from the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget. And the mayor actually wanted to cut $5.4 million more. This decision has left firefighters scrambling for resources at a time when lives are hanging in the balance.
Reports of
empty fire hydrants highlight the real consequences of these cuts: brave firefighters are fighting an impossible battle with inadequate tools.
Right now, wildfires rage across over 7,500 acres, driven by wind gusts reaching 99 mph. These flames do not discriminate - they burn through celebrity enclaves and working-class neighborhoods alike, leaving destruction in their wake.
Over 1,100 structures have already been lost, including children's schools. Hundreds of thousands of residents have received orders to either evacuate. The fires are still at 0% containment.
Cities with the resources to host the Olympics, fund billion-dollar developments, and boast some of the world's wealthiest individuals cannot stand by as essential services crumble.
It is especially important to make sure that the L.A. fire department is properly and fully funded, since we already know that
such fires are only going to get worse in the future, due to climate change. As the Earth and L.A. continue to get warmer and dryer, fire departments will become more crucial than ever.
The L.A. City Council and Mayor must immediately restore full funding to the fire department, ensuring they have the resources to protect us from future disasters. Sign the petition now! 