LOS ANGELES, California: Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley lost her bid to get her job back after being fired by Mayor Karen Bass following the city's worst wildfires.
Crowley argued she was wrongly dismissed based on false claims about her decisions and leadership, but the City Council rejected her appeal in a 13-2 vote, siding with the mayor.
The dispute between Crowley and City Hall centered on the wildfire response and fire department funding. Bass had initially praised Crowley but later said she learned that 1,000 additional firefighters could have been deployed when the fire started. She also accused Crowley of refusing to prepare a report on the disaster. Crowley denied these claims, saying budget cuts left her unable to send more firefighters and that she never refused to participate in the investigation.
The decision to fire Crowley divided public opinion. Some residents and firefighters supported her, saying she was scapegoated for speaking out about the need for more resources. Others backed Bass, arguing that criticism of her leadership was unfair and possibly discriminatory, as she is the city's first Black woman mayor.
The fire began on January 7, fueled by strong winds, and destroyed or damaged nearly 18,000 homes and buildings across Los Angeles and its suburbs. At least 29 people died. Bass said Crowley never warned her about the fire risk before she left for Africa despite it being standard practice.
