The Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) chief warned a month ago that budget cuts had plunged it into "unprecedented operational challenges" which would hamper its wildfire response.

The Los Angeles Fire Department's budget was cut by $17.6 million, about 2%, this fiscal year. The fire chief warned last month it would make it harder to respond to emergencies.

Joe Rogan made a chillingly accurate prediction about California wildfires way back in July. Speaking about firefighters at the Los Angeles Fire Department on his eponymous podcast, Rogan told comedian Sam Morril that one firefighter had warned him that given the right wind conditions,

The widespread devastation of the Southern California wildfires is being attributed to abnormally dry conditions, with the last few months of 2024 being the sixth-driest on record in Los Angeles, combined with a powerful Santa Ana windstorm that swept through the area on Tuesday.

A firefighter told Joe Rogan in July that Los Angeles is one major wind season away from mass fires, claiming that the region has been 'lucky' so far.