L.A. firefighters fight for fair compensation amid wildfire struggles
By Sowjanya Pedada
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4/30/25 (LAPost.com) — After battling some of the fiercest wildfires in the history of Los Angeles County, local first responders are pushing for better pay and working conditions. They are frustrated by years of budget cuts that left them dangerously short-staffed and under-resourced during the crisis, reported by the L.A. Times.
This past wildfire season torched over 40,000 acres, destroyed more than 15,000 structures, and claimed at least 27 lives, according to reports from emergency services and wildfire response teams. More than 16,000 first responders were called in, many working marathon shifts with little sleep and facing fires.
Behind their demands lies a history of financial strain. In the two years before the fires, the L.A. Fire Department faced a $17.6 million budget cut. It cut overtime hours, delayed equipment upgrades, and reduced training programs — all critical to wildfire readiness.
Former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley acknowledged the impact of these cuts during a press briefing earlier this year, admitting the department had done “exactly what we could with what we had” during the fires.
The wildfires inflicted more than $2.8 billion in economic damages across L.A. County, further straining a public budget already stretched thin by pandemic recovery and broader economic downturns, according to the University of California, L.A. Anderson Forecast.
Critical staffing shortages compounded the crisis. A CNN investigation earlier this year revealed LAFD grappled with rising vacancy rates even before the fires. Experienced firefighters were retiring faster than the department could recruit, leaving fewer hands to manage an ever-growing wildfire threat.
Despite reinforcements from 28 local departments, five neighboring states, and the California National Guard, the situation on the ground often felt overwhelming. Firefighters reported running out of hoses, masks, and even water tanks during peak fire days.
Even after a 2024 contract agreement valued at $203 million – promising pay raises and better benefits – operational funding continued to decline. Many rank-and-file responders said the deal felt hollow as they faced the worst wildfire season with fewer resources than ever before.
With mounting pressure, L.A. County supervisors have pledged to revisit firefighter pay and explore emergency funding mechanisms. However, officials have also warned that any major pay hikes could be difficult to fund, given the county’s deficit and the lingering costs of wildfire recovery.
The broader environmental forecast adds to the urgency. The CAL FIRE 2025 Report warns California’s wildfire seasons are only growing longer and more destructive due to climate change.
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