Los Angeles mayor removes fire chief over handling of wildfires

4 hrs ago

Listen

Karah Rucker Anchor

By Karah Rucker (Anchor), Jodie Hawkins (Senior Producer), Joey Nunez (Video Editor)

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fired the city’s fire chief, Kristin Crowley. Bass’s office made the announcement, saying Crowley had been removed from the post effective immediately.
Bass cited Crowley’s response to last month’s wildfires, including sending firefighters home instead of having them on duty.
During an interview in January, Crowley said the city “failed” her because of budget cuts.

Full Story

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ousted the city’s fire chief over her handling of last month’s devastating wildfires. The decision comes amid tension between the two over the city’s fire response.

Bias Distribution Powered by Ground News™

In a statement, Bass said she met with Kristin Crowley on Friday, Feb. 21, and her termination is effective immediately.

Download the SAN app today to stay up-to-date with Unbiased. Straight Facts™.

Point phone camera here

Bass cited Crowley’s response to the blazes, including sending 1,000 firefighters home instead of having them on duty the morning the fires broke out on Jan. 7.

She added, “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.”

Bass vs. Crowley

Bass and Crowley engaged in a back-and-forth of accusations amid the wildfires.

The mayor accused Crowley of failing to communicate the true risk of catastrophe before she departed on a trip to Ghana.

Crowley responded to the mayor in the media, accusing Bass of failing her department by not adequately funding it.

Bass, who was criticized for her poorly timed trip to Ghana, acknowledged in an interview on Wednesday, Feb. 19, that the trip was a mistake. However, in hindsight, she said she was not fully informed about the escalating fire risks at the time of her departure.

Bass returned to Los Angles on a military flight the day after the fires began.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires are among the most destructive fires in the state’s history.

At least 29 people died, and the wildfires torched more than 37,000 acres.

Who will take over the department?

Former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva has been appointed as LA’s interim fire chief.

Crowley has not publicly commented on her firing.

Tags: Eaton Fire, Fire, Karen Bass, Los Angeles, Pacific Palisades, Wildfire

[Karah]

LOS ANGELES MAYOR KAREN BASS OUSTED THE CITY’S FIRE CHIEF OVER HER HANDLING OF LAST MONTH’S DEVASTATING WILDFIRES.

THE DECISION COMES AMID TENSION BETWEEN THE TWO OVER THE CITY’S FIRE RESPONSE.

IN A STATEMENT — BASS SAID SHE MET WITH KRISTIN CROWLEY FRIDAY AND HER TERMINATION IS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY.

BASS CITED CROWLEY’S RESPONSE TO THE BLAZES – INCLUDING SENDING ONE THOUSAND FIREFIGHTERS HOME INSTEAD OF HAVING THEM ON DUTY THE MORNING THE FIRES BROKE OUT ON JANUARY SEVENTH ADDING QUOTE …

“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.”

BASS AND CROWLEY ENGAGED IN A BACK AND FORTH OF ACCUSATIONS AMID THE WILDFIRES.

BASS ACCUSED CROWLEY OF FAILING TO COMMUNICATE THE TRUE RISK OF CATASTROPHE BEFORE SHE DEPARTED ON A TRIP TO GHANA.

CROWLEY RESPONDED TO THE MAYOR IN THE MEDIA, ACCUSING BASS OF FAILING HER DEPARTMENT BY NOT PROPERLY FUNDING IT.

did the city of los angeles fail you and your department and our city? It’s my job to stand up as a chief and exactly say justifiably what the department needs to operate to meet the demands of the community… did they fail you .. that is our job and I tell ya that’s what Im here so lets get us what we need so our firefighters can do their jobs.. Did they fail you .. YES 1

MAYOR BASS WHO WAS CRITICIZED FOR HER TRIP TO GHANA BEING POORLY TIMED ACKNOWLEDGED IN AN INTERVIEW THIS WEEK … THE TRIP WAS A MISTAKE, BUT IN HINDSIGHT, SAID SHE WAS NOT FULLY INFORMED ABOUT THE ESCALATING FIRE RISKS AT THE TIME OF HER DEPARTURE.

BASS RETURNED TO L-A ON A MILITARY FLIGHT THE DAY AFTER THE FIRES BEGAN.

THE PALISADES AND EATON WILDFIRES ARE AMONG THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FIRES IN THE STATE’S HISTORY.

AT LEAST 29 WERE KILLED AND MORE THAN 37-THOUSAND ACRES WERE TORCHED.

FORMER CHIEF DEPUTY RONNIE VILLANUEVA HAS BEEN APPOINTED AS L-A’S INTERIM FIRE CHIEF.

CROWLEY HAS NOT PUBLICLY COMMENTED ON HER FIRING.

FOR SAN, I’M KARAH RUCKER.

FOR ALL YOUR LATEST NEWS HEADLINES – DOWNLOAD THE STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS APP TODAY.