Los Angeles mayor dismisses fire chief over January wildfires response

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass on Friday dismissed the city's fire chief over her handling of last month's deadly wildfires, and amid a public dispute over preparations for the fires.

A string of wildfires in January devastated Los Angeles County, with two large blazes in Pacific Palisades and Altadena. Thousands of structures and homes burned in the fires and 29 people were killed. 

Bass, a Democrat, said that Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was fired during a meeting between the two, which is effective immediately, claiming that she failed to do her job by understaffing the department on the day of the fires.

“We know 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Crowley’s watch," Bass said in a statement. "Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. 

"The heroism of our firefighters – during the Palisades fire and every single day – is without question," she continued. "Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what our city needs.” 

Former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, who worked in the department for 41 years, will lead the department in the interim, the mayor said, while a national search for a new leader is underway.

The dismissal comes after Crowley warned the city in December that a nearly $18 million reduction in the fire department's budget would impact its ability to prepare and respond to major disasters and emergencies.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.