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.

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.

Multiple wildfires, including the Palisades Fire and Eaton Fire, are raging across Southern California Friday, leaving at least 11 dead and burning more than 10,000 homes across 27,000 acres, officials say.

For years, renowned fire experts Jack Cohen and Stephen Pyne have tried to shift the conversation on fire prevention strategies. This week’s destruction, they say, could have been minimized.