LOS ANGELES – A former chief of the Los Angeles fire department who was let go after theblazes in January that left picturesque neighborhoods in cinderssubmitted a complaint on August 20 against Mayor Karen Bass, alleging that Bass made the veteran firefighter the target of the disaster.
The assertion from the former Los Angeles Fire Department ChiefKristin Crowleyagainst Bass and the city claims that the mayor utilized her position to exonerate herself from responsibility for the fires by tarnishing Crowley’s reputation.
At minimum 30 individuals lost their lives directly due to the fires andresearchers estimateOver 440 individuals perished as a result of substandard air quality and interruptions in healthcare services. According to a research study from the University of California, Los Angeles, the fires led to damages amounting up to $131 billion in lost property and additional losses.
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Crowley’s confrontation with the new mayor started while the fires were still burning. The 25-year LAFD veteranslammed Bassfor days into the fire on CNN for cutting the department’s budget. The mayor stated that Crowley did notadequately stafffor the flames and also did not succeedfile reports related to the blazes.
Bass eventually firedCrowley on February 21, weeks following the fires werefinally put out.
“Honesty, integrity, and putting others before myself have been the foundation of my professional journey. As Fire Chief, over the past three years, I have worked to secure adequate funding, staffing, and infrastructure improvements to better assist and safeguard our firefighters, and ultimately, our communities,” Crowley stated in a release regarding the legal move.
The falsehoods, trickery, overstatements, and misinterpretations must be confronted with the sole means that can counter them—actual facts,” Crowley added. “As firefighters, we move toward the unknown and are prepared to take the risk. Doing what is correct, even when it’s difficult, is always the right choice, and that is why I am still fighting for the resources our firefighters require to ensure everyone’s safety.
Crowley hopes the legal action will assist in rebuilding her reputation. She is seeking an apology from Bass and wants the mayor to retract her comments about Crowley, as stated in the announcement. The lawsuit claims that Bass caused Crowley over $25,000 in damages.
In reaction to a request for input, Bass’s lawyer David Michelson stated, “We will not address an active personnel issue, Mayor Bass is concentrating on the city’s readiness for the highest temperatures of the season and the risk of regional wildfires.”
The legal battle between Crowley and Bass occurs as the city prepares for what forecasters predict will be “the most intense period of hot weather so far this summer.” California Gov. Gavin Newsomhas sent numerous fire trucks, helicopters, and bulldozers in preparation for the increasing temperatures to handle any potential fires.
Bass’s legal representatives are anticipated to reply within 45 days to Crowley’s lawsuit, as stated by a Crowley representative.
Why did Bass dismiss Crowley?
Bass provided two explanations for terminating Crowley: the mayor claims the fire chief sent 1,000 firefighters home “who could have been working on the morning the fires occurred” and that Crowley obstructed inquiries into the fires by refusing to approve department reports about the incidents, according to anews release from the mayor’s office.
The bravery of our firefighters – during the Palisades fire and every day – is undeniable,” Bass said at the time. “Introducing new leadership to the fire department is what our city requires.
The mayor appointed Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year veteran of the LAFD, who had just retired seven months prior.
Villanueva has taken center stagewith Bass to highlight the city’s readiness for the approaching heat, emphasizing that the LAFD’s response will be faster and more efficient than in January.
The Los Angeles Fire Department has worked closely with nearby agencies and partners to guarantee a swift and effective reaction in case of a significant emergency,” Villanueva said to reporters on August 19. “We aim to let you know that we are ready to handle any possible dangers swiftly and effectively.
Villanueva emphasized that the fire department had inspected the city’s fire hydrants before the heatwave.Hydrants drying upWithin hours of the fires starting in January, it became a problem in how the flames spread.
LA’s City Council ultimately backed Crowley’s firing.
What is Crowley’s account of what occurred?
According to the former chief’s statement, all claims that Crowley sent 1,000 firefighters back home, refused to carry out an after-action review, and did not deploy fire engines in advance or inform the mayor’s office about potential fire risks are untrue.
Bass’ allegations are described in Crowley’s legal document as “a part of a planned effort to blame a career firefighter and shift attention away from the Mayor’s actions,” according to Crowley’s legal filing. The mayor “led a campaign of false information, slander, and retaliation to safeguard her political reputation while hiding how much she compromised public safety.”
The LAFD had been struggling for years before the wildfires in January, as stated by Crowley.
Throughout the past three years, I have consistently stated that the fire departmentneeds help,” Crowley said to CNN’s Jake Tapper. “We can no longer maintain our current situation, as we don’t have sufficient firefighters.”
Crowley cited reductions in the LAFD’s funding, such as a $17 million budget cut and staff reductions, as per Crowley.
USA TODAY obtained budget documents showing that the Los Angeles Fire Department’s funding decreased from $837 million in fiscal year 2024 to $819 million in fiscal year 2025, as part of overall reductions for the year.
A fire department reportsent to the mayor and city council in December stated: “These financial cuts have negatively impacted the Department’s capacity to sustain essential operations.”
Bass stated at that moment that “no cuts were implemented that would have affected the circumstances.”
The residents of Los Angeles have a right to understand the extent to which the LAFD has been underfunded and the reasons behind this situation,” said Genie Harrison, the former chief’s legal counsel. “Kristin Crowley has once more taken a stand, this time to provide the people of Los Angeles and its firefighters with the truth—and the ability to drive change.
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who urged the former leader to challenge the termination and was one of two council members who supported her return, reiterated her demand for an independent post-incident report in a statement given to USA TODAY.
“Residents of Los Angeles and our firefighters deserve leadership choices based on honesty and openness, not political motives,” Rodriguez stated.
This tale has been revised to include additional details.
This piece first was published on USA TODAY:Canned Los Angeles fire chief claims mayor used her as a scapegoat for wildfires
