| 2025 Palisades Fire Fact Sheet - Fire Department | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claim | Fact Check | Evidence | ||
| C001 | "No one could stop a fire like that" | FALSE | Private fire crews successfully protected both Rick Caruso's Palisades Village and the Getty Villa. Their efforts were so effective that the homes and community surrounding the Getty Villa survived, contrasting sharply with all adjacent properties that were destroyed after being abandoned by the fire department with no effort. | Multiple Public |
| C002 | Los Angeles Fire Department fought the fire | FALSE | The Los Angeles Fire Department was ordered to "stand down" and "let it burn out" at approximately 3:00 PM on January 7, 2025 just 5 hours after the fire began. Multiple witnesses assert the fire department made no attempt to save any person or property. | LAFD Ordered to Let It Burn Out |
| C003 | Los Angeles County Fire Department fought the fire | FALSE | The Los Angeles County Fire Department was ordered to leave Malibu and protect Brentwood. Multiple witnesses assert the fire department made no attempt to save any person or property. | LACoFD Ordered to Stand Down |
| C004 | The Fire Department stopped the Palisades Fire | FALSE | The burn scar from the Dec 2024 Franklin Fire stopped the 2025 Palisades Fire from destroying all of Malibu. The Fire Department made no attempt to stop the fire and abandoned Pacific Palisades. | |
| C005 | The Fire Department did the best they could | FALSE | Multiple survivors witnessed the fire department making no attempt to save lives or homes on January 7, 2025. Many (including news reporters) note never seeing anyone from the fire department. Water is not needed to knock on doors. | Fire Department Refused to Help |
| C006 | The Fire Department are heroes who risked their lives | FALSE | No heroes were seen by the Pacific Palisades community on January 7, 2025. However, many survivors recorded fire department cowards who laughed as homes burned and at fire victims. This was further evidenced during the Palisades Community Meeting on January 11, 2025, at 6:30 PM, when a hot mic captured the fire department laughing at fire victims for thanking them for their service. | Fire Department Mocks Fire Victims |
| C007 | Los Angeles Fire Department was given a standing ovation at both the 2025 Oscars and 2025 Grammy Awards | TRUE | Despite allowing two communities to be completely destroyed and failing to even attempt to do their job, the Los Angeles Fire Department was rewarded, congratulated, and applauded internationally at Los Angeles' two greatest annual award events. | Standing Ovation for Failure |
| C008 | Fire Department puts out fires | FALSE | "They [Fire Department] don't say they put out the fires, they suppress the fires" - Bill Essayli, United States Attorney for the Central District of California | Fire Department Does Not Put Out Fires |
| C009 | Los Angeles County is safe from fires thanks to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. | FALSE | The LACoFD (Local 1014) has been without a contract since December 31, 2024. The department is managed by the LA County Board of Supervisors who have made excuses for not renewing the contract. | |
| C010 | Los Angeles City is safe from fires thanks to the Los Angeles City Fire Department. | FALSE | At the time of the Palisades Fire, LAFD was under budget and facing $49 million in further cuts, following a previous $17 million cut by Mayor Karen Bass. | |
| C011 | California state land is safe from fires thanks to Cal Fire. | FALSE | Gavin Newsom vetoed a voter-approved pay increase for Cal Fire firefighters. | |
| C012 | Fire department employees have been given cost of living increases | FALSE | Only fire chiefs, captains, and marshals have been receiving pay increases; the firefighters who put out the fires have not. | |