Los Angeles’s budget is in the spotlight as multiple wildfires rage in the city and news that Mayor Karen Bass cut the fire department’s budget last year while prioritizing spending on the city’s homeless population.

For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Los Angeles has budgeted $837 million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), about 65% of the $1.3 billion homelessness budget.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass cut the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget by more than $17 million last year. She originally proposed a $23 million cut. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images/File)

An analysis last year by L.A.’s city comptroller found that about half of the homelessness budget went unspent.

Wildfires in California are raging across Los Angeles County, forcing thousands to evacuate their homes

From the 2023-2024 through 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD budget was reduced by over $17 million, from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423.

Firefighters battle wind and fire as homes along the Pacific Coast Highway near Carbon Canyon Road go up in flames on Wednesday in Malibu, California. (David Crane/MediaNews Group/Los Angeles Daily News via Getty Images)

Bass had proposed a major budget cut of about $23 million to the LAFD, but it was not passed.

FOX Business has reached out to Bass’ office for comment on the reasons for the cuts.

Los Angeles area college campuses closed as wildfires spread

The homelessness budget was also cut in the 2024-2025 budget, but remained higher than the LAFD budget.

Tents for homeless people are seen on a sidewalk on Skid Row in Los Angeles on August 16, 2023. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images)

Los Angeles is currently the center of four ongoing wildfires – the Eaton, Palisades, Woodley and Hurst fires – that have destroyed countless homes and businesses and claimed two lives.

The ongoing wildfires in Southern California. (Fox News)

The fires have triggered evacuation orders for more than 30,000 people and come at a time when California is facing an insurance crisis after several insurers left the state, largely due to costs associated with wildfire damage.

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Of the 20 most devastating wildfires in California, seven occurred in the last five years, the Department of Forestry and Fire Protection reported. In terms of economic costs, the 2018 Camp Fire caused $10 billion in damages, the 2017 Tubbs fire cost $8.7 billion, and the 2018 Woolsey fire cost $4.2 billion .

FOX News’ Anders Hagstrom and Kristen Altus contributed to this report.