Firefighters holding Eaton, Palisades fires in check, but new wind event is on the way

Amidst confusion around budget cuts affecting the Los Angeles Fire Department while thousands of firefighters are battling at least five wildfires, ABC News dug into the city budgets and other publicly available documents for the city.

In May 2024, the city of Los Angeles adopted a Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 budget that cut the appropriations for the fire department by $17.6 million from the previous year.

At the time, the city of Los Angeles was negotiating the union contract with the firefighters' union, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City.

On Nov. 5, the City Council voted to approve a union contract for 2024 - 2028. A report that was sent to the city a day prior outlined the fiscal impact of the contract and stated that it would cost approximately $76 million in the 2024 - 2025 fiscal year. This was to increase salaries and benefits for union members.

On Dec. 17, 2024, the LA Fire Commission sent a report to Mayor Karen Bass by Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. In it, Crowley stated that the department is facing "unprecedented operational challenges due to the elimination of critical civilian positions and a $7 million reduction" in overtime hours.

With the new contract approved, the budget for the fire department in Fiscal Year 2024 - 2025 increased from $819.6 million to $895.6 million. When compared to the previous year's budget (Fiscal Year 2023 - 2024), this current year's fire department budget in total is larger by $58.4 million. According to a document from the city administrative officer, the increase in this year's budget was approved specifically to meet salary and benefit increases included in the new union contract.

In an interview with a local FOX station on Friday, Crowley responded after being repeatedly asked if the city failed her and her department, she said "yes," echoing her letter to the mayor from December.

"My number one priority has been and will continue to be, that our firefighters get what they need, so that they can serve the community. That is number one. I'm going to turn down the noise when it comes to any type of criticism, because every decision that I make is going to be based off of what my firefighters need," Crowley said.

At least 11 people are believed to be dead -- with the Los Angeles County sheriff saying he expects that number to rise -- as devastating fires spread across Southern California amid dry and windy conditions.The largest blaze, the Palisades Fire, in Pacific Palisades, has scorched over 22,000 acres, destroyed thousands of structures and is 11% contained. The Eaton Fire, in Altadena, now stands at more than 14,000 acres and 15% contained. More than 150,000 people are under evacuation orders.

More than 13,000 people have donated over $6 million to the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a Sunday press conference.

More than 13,000 people have donated over $6 million to the California Community Foundation Wildfire Recovery Fund, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass said during a Sunday press conference.

Bass said anyone who wants to help can donate at CalFund.org or contribute to the Los Angeles Fire Department Foundation at SupportLAFD.org.

Click here for more information about how to help the victims of the wildfires.

Birds are returning to areas of Altadena on Sunday morning as a cloud of smoke hangs over the seemingly endless blocks of destroyed homes and businesses.

As residents slowly trickle back to check out the scope of the destruction, Moogega Cooper and her fiancé Alex Shekarchian were stunned to see their Altadena home reduced to ashes.

"I can see my washing machine. I can see so many remnants of what used to be," remarked Cooper.

"What do you regret not taking with you?" asked ABC's Jaclyn Lee.

"Definitely my box of keepsakes," said Cooper. "My dad fought in World War II came back to a segregated country and there were little fragments of his tours around the Pacific that I really wish I'd kept."

Stories are now emerging about the lack of adequate water supply as both firefighters and residents battled the flames during some of the largest fires in Los Angeles history.

"I blame that lady," said Altadena resident Marcela Banuelos. "The mayor?" asked Lee. "Yes," replied Banuelos. "Because of how she cut the funds to the fire department."

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass does not have jurisdiction over Altadena, which is in Los Angeles County, but residents are frustrated.

Banuelos, 24, watched her home burn to the ground in Altadena and then ran to her grandmother's home, grabbed a water hose, climbed to the roof, and tried to save it all.

"I jumped on the roof, and we were spraying the water," said Banuelos. "There was no water pressure. There was nothing. They shut the water off on us. And, you know, there was nothing we could do. Like we didn't have any water to try to put out anything. And, you know, I tried my best. And thankfully, you know, my grandma's house is still there."

"We were using garden hoses, we were using the Sparkletts gallons of water, just the plastic bottles and filling buckets and just throwing it overboard," said Banuelos. "And we were also scooping the dirt, throwing the dirt, the water supply cut off. Yeah, they shut the water off on us."

Banuelos choked up recalling the moment she watched the flames tear through her beloved home.

"It was like straight flames and black smoke and dust and it was just really sad, because I'm only 24 and I was about to make two years that I moved out of my parents, and I took a lot of pride in that and I was very happy there," said Banuelos.

As residents try to figure out next steps, Cooper and Shekarchian are determined to rebuild but plan to do so differently.

"I'm definitely worried about this happening again," said Cooper. "And I'm going to be very conscious since we're rebuilding from the ground up of the materials that we use to make sure that it's a fire deterrent and in hopes that this doesn't happen again."

The couple said they are worried about the ability to obtain home insurance after rebuilding.

A man dressed like a firefighter was arrested after being caught burglarizing a home in the Malibu area, LASD Sheriff Robert Luna said during a Sunday press conference.

Luna said he was in the area when he saw the man, who "looked like a firefighter," sitting down. Luna said he asked the man if he was OK before realizing that he was in handcuffs.

A man dressed like a firefighter was arrested after being caught burglarizing a home in the Malibu area, LASD Sheriff Robert Luna said during a Sunday press conference.

The sheriff's department turned the man over to LAPD officers. LAPD Chief Jim McDonnell said the man was arrested for impersonating a firefighter.

"We have people who will go to all ends to do what it is they want to do to exploit the victims of this tragedy," McDonnell said.