Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass removed Fire Chief Kristin Crowley after the city’s most destructive wildfire, which caused significant damage and fatalities in the LA neighborhood and suburban Altadena.
The big picture: Mayor Bass cited concerns over Chief Crowley’s leadership, pointing out that 1,000 firefighters who could have been on duty during the wildfire were sent home on Crowley’s watch, which impacted the emergency response.
- Additionally, Mayor Bass highlighted that Chief Crowley refused to prepare an “after-action report” on the fires, which was deemed a necessary step in the investigation process following the wildfires.
Driving the news: The Palisades Fire and another fire in Altadena resulted in extensive destruction of homes, businesses and structures.
- Criticism has been directed at Mayor Bass for being out of the country in Africa as part of a presidential delegation when the wildfires occurred, despite prior weather reports warning of dangerous fire conditions.
What she’s saying: “Bringing new leadership to the Fire Department is what our city needs,” Bass said in a statement.
- “We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch,” Bass added.
