On top of the $17.6m budget cut to the LAFD, there was to be a further $48.8m cut apparently. The department already has to spend a lot of effort putting out homeless fires - one of which closed a highway recently - as well as countless homeless emergencies. The LAFD and EMS also have a retention and burn out problem. This compares to the $150B+ in estimated fire damage and lives lost so far. And on top of paying some of the highest taxes in North America. From all of Hollywood's preaching at us, you'd think it'd be a utopia but instead it's becoming a hellhole.