As wildfires spread throughout Los Angeles, a series of inequities have come to light: from canceled insurance policies for homeowners to right-wing social media posts blaming the fire department’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion for poor responses. 

While the latter used racist rhetoric to make its point, there have been disparities in responses from the Los Angeles Fire Department — but the issue isn’t DEI. It’s the lack of funding for the LAFD — a problem worsened by years of budget cuts that have prioritized prisons and policing systems over public safety.

In the wake of the fires, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley made a statement criticizing the city’s response, saying they need proper funding that they aren’t currently receiving. Mayor Bass, whose fiscal decisions cut LAFD’s budget by $17.6 million for 2025, has responded to criticism of her decision by saying that these cuts “did not impact what we’ve been going through over the last few days.” 

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But unfortunately it has — Chief Crowley’s explicit disdain for the lack of funding LAFD has received makes it clear that Bass’ decision has hindered them to some extent. Bass’ sidelining of this, and lack of engagement with those such as Crowley, represents how she has attempted to deal with the problem in a politically strategic manner rather than through supporting policy that gives public safety the resources they are calling for. 

This lack of funding for the LAFD has been combined with an increase in police budgets — as the LAFD was cut by $17.6 million, the Los Angeles Police Department got an increase of about $126 million. But the prison-industrial complex hasn’t only gotten more funding through these fires — it’s also been given the opportunity to supply cheap labor for disaster response. 

Inmate firefighters have existed for decades, but now are estimated to make up around 30% of the entire wildfire workforce. They can get paid anywhere from $0.16 to $0.74 an hour for extremely difficult manual labor that requires them to risk their lives. 

These decisions have both dehumanized prisoners who are given minimal pay for brutal working conditions and allowed the city’s overinvestment into policing to hurt those who have been forced to evacuate their homes and lives. 

As L.A. continues to put more pennies in the pockets of police, the LAFD is allowed to struggle in spite of the multitude of fires happening across the county. 

It is time for L.A. to reshape its budgetary decisions in a way that prioritizes public safety and infrastructure for departments such as LAFD. Mayor Bass must stop giving speeches that ignore the calls coming from those fighting these fires on the ground and motivate policy change that moves away from policing and prison labor. 

City officials need to make a genuine effort to engage with the, as LAFD Chief Crowley puts it, “public servants” who put people before politics. This allows for policy decisions motivated by those on the front lines, rather than distant politicians in offices. 

As these fires continue to spread, it is necessary that we recognize the material ways the city’s budgetary decisions and sustaining of prison labor systems have contributed to disparities in response and dehumanization. This can look like supporting groups like People’s City Council, who have actively combatted and organized against decisions by the city government that do not work in favor of the people. 

Outside of putting pressure on politicians though, there is also on-the-ground work that can be done to assist those who have not been prioritized by the city. Groups such as the Armenian Youth Federation are accepting donations to help those in the Pasadena area, and there are many opportunities to volunteer at shelters throughout the affected areas. 

I urge us to not let the city government get away with the decisions they made. Despite warnings on how budget cuts would hinder LAFD’s performance, these policies were passed anyway and we have seen the outcome. 

There are ways that this situation could’ve been made better, ways that Mayor Bass’ office could’ve allowed for more effective preparation and ways that the damage could’ve been better mitigated. 

But the city’s everlasting attachment to policing, prison labor and strategic politics superseded all of that. We must combine volunteering and material action with a push for larger systemic change that ends the overinvestment into carceral systems at the expense of the people.