Internet divided as parking warden 'continues issuing tickets' during LA wildfires

Wildfires have torn down over 1,000 buildings in Los Angeles over the past few days, with over 30,000 residents evacuated from their homes.

But amid the scramble to leave areas around Pacific Palisades and the positive side of humanity shining through as people offer out a hand to those in need, something unexpected has drawn attention online.

A clip posted to social media appears to show a parking warden in Santa Monica continuing to issue to tickets to improperly parked cars - despite plumes of smoke being in the backdrop.

However, it's drawn a mixed response.

Some people have been left angry that despite the desperation of locals in an emergency situation, the state continues to find ways to make money off them.

In fact, footage of cars abandoned amid gridlocked traffic has been widely-shared online in recent days, and some areas of Santa Monica have been evacuated amid risks of fire spreading.

"This perfectly exemplifies living in LA", one person posted on X.

"Excuse me, but issuing tickets during an emergency seems wildly misplaced. Shouldn’t resources be directed toward safety and evacuation?", another added.

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Someone else chimed in: "The only thing you can count on government to do reliably, efficiently, and effectively is collect revenue from its citizens. It is, by far, their number one priority."

But for others, there were far more logical potential explanations for the situation.

"As much as I hate parking enforcement, and I hate them a lot, maybe it’s to keep the streets clear in the event emergency vehicles need to access those areas. They’re only getting tickets if illegally parked", someone suggested on X.

Others pointed out that perhaps cars were parked in front of much-needed hydrants, and fining could prompt the owners to move them.

Another commented: "Expecting to be able to break the law because a fire's on, that's worse. Guy's just doing his job, maybe don't park like a f****** moron."

Indy100 has reached to the City of Santa Monica for comment.

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