Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley warned Mayor Karen Bass just weeks ago that the nearly $18 million slashed from the fire department’s budget would impact its response to emergencies like this week’s deadly wildfires.

All of the large fires that have broken out this week in the Los Angeles area are located in a roughly 25-mile band north of downtown, spreading a sense of fear and sadness across the nation’s second-largest city.

In a post on X, Erik Scott, a fire captain for the Los Angeles Fire Department, said the plane was damaged and is now “out of service.” Air quality in downtown Los Angeles is listed as unhealthy for sensitive groups,