LA Mayor Karen Bass Fires Fire Chief Over Response to January Wildfires

In a significant development for Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass has fired the city’s Fire Chief, Kristin Crowley, due to her handling of the wildfires that ravaged the region last month. The decision came after Bass met with Crowley last Friday, and the termination is effective immediately.

Mayor Bass pointed to Crowley’s controversial response to the wildfires, specifically her decision to send 1,000 firefighters home on the morning of January 7th, when the fires first broke out. This decision, critics argue, may have delayed critical response efforts during the early stages of the blazes.

The Palisades and Eaton wildfires, which are among the most destructive in California's history, caused widespread devastation. At least 29 people lost their lives, and more than 37,000 acres of land were scorched.

The termination marks a pivotal moment in LA’s ongoing efforts to improve emergency response and wildfire management. The city now faces the challenge of ensuring a more effective and timely approach to combatting future disasters.