Los Angeles removes fire chief in wake of massive wildfires
Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has been removed by Mayor Karen Bass in the wake of the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires that killed dozens and destroyed hundreds of homes.
Bass said on Friday that she removed Crowley from her position because firefighters were sent home instead of being used when the fires broke out last month.
"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 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."
Ronnie Villanueva, a retired LA Fire chief deputy of emergency operations, has been appointed as interim chief.
While she was removed from her position, Crowley will stay with the department, according to the LA mayor's office. Crowley exercised her civil service rights to stay with the department at a lower rank with duties to to be assigned by the new interim chief, the mayor's office said in a statement.
"We are aware of the Mayor's announcement and have no further comments or interviews on this matter at this time," the LA Fire Department told ABC News in a statement Friday.
Bass said she did not know the weather forecast before leaving for Ghana for a planned diplomatic trip before the fires broke out, saying the fire chief did not call to warn her.
"What I can tell you is that what has happened in the two-plus years I've been here, every time there was a weather emergency or even a hint of a weather emergency, the chief has called me directly. She has my cellphone. She knows she can call me 24/7, and she briefed me, and then we would talk about what needed to happen next. That did not happen this time," Bass said at a press conference Friday.
"As the mayor of the city, the buck stops with me. I am in charge. However, the person in charge of the fire department, as I mentioned before, whenever there was a fire emergency, a weather emergency or a hint of a problem, I am contacted directly, and not just by Chief Crowley, but by any of the heads of the departments, as you know we have over 40 departments," Bass said.
Bass' decision faced criticism from billionaire Rick Caruso, whose mall in the Palisades survived the deadly fire because he employed his own private resources to fight the fires. Caruso, a Republican, lost in the 2022 mayoral race to Bass.
"It is very disappointing that Mayor Bass has decided to fire Chief Kristin Crowley. 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," Caruso wrote on X.
"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," Caruso said.
Bass has faced tremendous pressure and questions surrounding her decision to attend an event in Ghana when the fires broke out on Jan. 7, despite days of warnings about the unprecedented weather event that drove the fires.
Bass said she has not cut the fire department budget while in office.
"I have done two budgets in my time here. In both budgets, the budget was increased, and I will anticipate that it will be increased this time as well," Bass said.
Crowley openly criticized Bass in a local TV interview on Jan. 10, saying Bass had failed the city.
At least 29 people died as multiple wildfires -- fueled by severe drought conditions and strong winds -- raged across Southern California in January.
The largest of the fires in Los Angeles County, the Palisades Fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood, began on Jan. 7 and spread to 23,707 acres. The fire remained active for 44 days. The cause of the fire is still under investigation.
The second largest of the fires -- the Eaton Fire, north of Pasadena -- also began on Jan. 7 and spread to 14,021 acres. It remained active for 44 days and the cause of the fire remains under investigation.
