Small canvas bags that Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) firefighters used as makeshift water containers to quickly put out a trash fire have been misdescribed on social media as women’s handbags, suggesting the LAFD is under-resourced because of budget cuts and donations of firefighting supplies to Ukraine.

Yes, the Los Angeles County Fire Department donated surplus equipment to Ukraine in March 2022. On March 17, 2022, the Los Angeles County Fire Department (LACFD) announced it was donating “surplus” equipment to help first responders in Ukraine.

Long before wildfires would singe the greater Los Angeles area, fire departments in Los Angeles County were sending equipment to Ukraine. The donations were called out Wednesday by Donald Trump Jr. and other social media users.

An avalanche of myths and misinformation has been unleashed during the devastating and ongoing wildfires in Los Angeles County. Newsweek reached out for comment to the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department via email on Friday.

Employee raises and other expenses are expanding the Los Angeles Fire Department's budget. At the same time, the agency has had to scale back operations in recent months.

The adopted budget for the 2024-2025 fiscal year increased the amount for the fire department to $819,637,423, according to a summary on the city administrative officer's website. That meant the department's funding saw a decrease of $17,553,814, rather than almost $23 million.

Wildfires are burning in Los Angeles for a fourth day, with at least 11 people killed in the blazes and 153,000 people under evacuation orders. Meanwhile, the LA county sheriff has warned that anyone found in curfew areas will be subject to arrest.

Los Angeles slashed its fire department's budget last year while prioritizing spending for its homeless population, a move that has fallen under scrutiny as wildfires rage.

Firefighters battling the Palisades fire dealt with hydrants that had little to no water flowing out. By 3 a.m. Wednesday, all hydrants 'went dry,' an LADWP official says.

Societies that scapegoat foreign powers for domestic problems erode their ability to solve those problems.

As unprecedented wildfires raged through Los Angeles, some firefighters suddenly lost access to water. City officials called one shortage a “worst-case scenario”—one they expect to see again in the future.

"There are not enough firefighters in all of LA County to address four separate fires of this magnitude," LA County Fire Chief said.