But as with much of the news swirling around the fires, the real picture is complicated. Facing lower tax revenues and higher operating costs, Ms. Bass did indeed approve a budget for the fire department’s current fiscal year that was $23 million less than the previous year.

Seven months before the uncontrolled Palisades Fire in Los Angeles, the city's fire department budget for this fiscal year was cut by more than $17.5 million, records show.