In Los Angeles, the recently removed fire chief, Kristen Crowley, is challenging her dismissal ordered by Mayor Karen Bass following the city’s most catastrophic wildfire. This decision, which ignited a fierce debate on Tuesday, has Crowley striving to reclaim her post. Her dismissal has sparked a backlash from the unionized firefighters who argue her termination was unwarranted, implying it resulted from her criticism toward City Hall regarding the department’s lack of resources.
The City Council was set to decide on Crowley’s appeal after she was dismissed by Mayor Bass the previous month. This was amidst escalating tensions and blame-shifting between Crowley and City Hall regarding the accountability for the wildfire’s devastation and the fire department funding.
For Crowley to return, she required the backing of 10 out of the 15 council members—a scenario many considered improbable. During a City Hall meeting, council members encountered mixed reactions from the community, gathering opinions from residents, activists, and city employees. Some stood by Bass’s decision, while others voiced support for reinstating Crowley, notably the unionized firefighters, who claimed Crowley was unfairly targeted and dismissed for her candid remarks concerning staffing needs and budgetary constraints.
Initially praised by Bass during the early firefighting efforts, Crowley later faced criticism. Bass revealed that 1,000 additional firefighters could have been utilized when the blaze broke out but were not dispatched. Furthermore, Bass accused Crowley of refusing to compile a necessary report regarding the fires, which is crucial for subsequent investigations.
“The fact that 1,000 firefighters were sidelined under Crowley’s leadership is unacceptable,” Bass stated last month.
The Palisades Fire erupted on January 7 under intense wind conditions. It devastated nearly 8,000 residences, businesses, and structures while claiming at least 12 lives in Pacific Palisades, a wealthy neighborhood west of Los Angeles. On the same day, another wildfire ignited in Altadena, resulting in at least 17 fatalities and damaging around 10,000 homes and other buildings.
Mayor Bass faced criticism for being on a diplomatic mission in Africa on the day the fires erupted, despite existing weather warnings about high winds and fire hazards during the days leading to her departure.
Bass countered that Crowley failed to alert her to any impending threats, defying a standard procedure established since she assumed office in December 2022.
