In truth, the fire budget didn’t shrink since city leaders last autumn approved a new union contract that boosted pay and benefits by $76 million—about $20,000 per firefighter. Even before this raise, firefighters on average earned about $200,000, plus $90,000 in benefits. Many can retire at 55 with pensions equaling 90% of their final salaries.

Los Angeles spent $350 million this year on firefighter pensions and benefits. Much of that would have been better spent on fire prevention, which made up only 5% of the department’s budget. Ms. Crowley calls “diversity, inclusion, and equity” a top priority, and the Fire Department boasted nine DEI positions.

Bloated union contracts and DEI may not have directly hampered the fire response, but they illustrate the government’s wrongheaded priorities. It’s the same with water. Donald Trump blamed dry fire hydrants in L.A. on protections for the delta smelt fish. The real culprit was an overwhelmed water system, but both reflect government mismanagement.