Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass sacks fire chief who said city failed residents in wildfires

Crowley had criticized Bass and other Democratic leadership with the city, claiming it had failed its 100,000 residents displaced during January’s wildfires.

Crowley said that pressing staffing shortages impacted the department's response time when the blaze began tearing across Los Angeles.

"Any budget cut is going to impact our ability to provide service," Crowley said in January. "That is a ground truth in regard to our ability. If there's a budget cut, we had to pull from somewhere else. What does that mean? That doesn't get done or that there are delays."

Crowley said that staffing shortages and lack of resources have been a pressing issue facing the LAFD for years. She pointed to a series of memos she sent to the city identifying in detail the needs of the department.

In a statement Friday, Bass said: "Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles’ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief. 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. 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. Bringing new leadership to the fire department is what our city needs."

Republican Rick Caruso, who ran against Bass in the last mayoral election, criticized Crowley’s firing.

"It is very disappointing that Mayor Bass has decided to fire Chief Kristin Crowley," he wrote on X. "Chief Crowley served Los Angeles well and spoke honestly about the severe and profoundly ill-conceived budget cuts the Bass administration made to the LAFD. That courage to speak the truth was brave, and I admire her. Honesty in a high city official should not be a firing offense. The Mayor's decision to ignore the warnings and leave the city was hers alone. This is a time for city leaders to take responsibility for their actions and their decisions. We need real leadership, not more blame passing."