In early February, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass officially demoted Fire Chief Kristin Crowley over claims that she improperly managed the Los Angeles fires. In defending Bass, an anonymous advisor told Politico, “sometimes what’s good for the city is not what’s good politically.” As disputes between the two are now overwhelmingly public, the focus of the fires shifted to a bureaucratic blame game, taking much of the heat off of Mayor Bass.
Former Mayor Eric Garcetti made history by nominating Kristen Crowley as the LA Fire Chief in 2022. Crowley is the first woman and openly gay person to hold the position. Garcetti rebuked claims that she was only promoted because of her identity. At the same time, Bass was running for mayor. She claimed, “I’m running for mayor to meet today’s challenges: crime, homelessness, and the soaring costs of housing.” She made history as the first woman to hold the position.
Both women made historical achievements, but this did not prevent them from ending up at odds. Crowley publicly criticized Bass for budget cuts made to the LAFD. On December 17, 2024, Chief Crowley issued a statement detailing how the $17.6 million budget cut impacted the LAFD’s ability to prepare for wildfires. Most notably, the cuts “severely impacted the Department’s capacity to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies.”
Less than a month after the report was released, the wildfires broke out across LA. The fires began on January 7th, 2025, in the Palisades, destroying more than 12,000 structures and ravaging 37,000 acres of land.
Bass was out of the country when the fires first started, a misfortune that her opponents heavily scrutinized. However, she made her way back to LA as soon as the news reached her. Upon landing, she was bombarded with questions about her management and lack of foresight. One reporter asked, “Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions?” and Bass remained silent. Later that evening, Bass addressed her absence and stated she took the fastest way home by military plane, which provided her constant contact with officials on site at the fires.
Despite attempts to reconcile her absence, her approval ratings have dropped significantly. The California Globe conducted a poll asking Angelenos, “Do you approve or disapprove of how Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is handling the wildfires in Los Angeles?” 54% of respondents said they disapproved. A major demand for Bass’ resignation has sparked debate across Los Angeles. A Change.org petition has reached over 152,000 signatures and accused Bass of “gross mismanagement.”
It’s clear that many Angelenos resent Bass for not being in LA when the fires first broke out and the budget cuts made to the LAFD. In an attempt to save face, Bass shifted the blame to Fire Chief Kristin Crowley. In a press conference where she issued Crowley’s demotion effective immediately, she expressed her frustrations with over 1,000 firefighters being sent home the day of the fires. Bass claimed that she asked Crowley to compile an after-action report, but Crowley refused.
Former fire commissioner Rebecca Ninburg responded to Crowley’s demotion, “politically, fire fighters have a tremendous amount of sway…These are America’s heroes.” The steep budget cuts she made to the department, coupled with firing the woman who spearheaded the containment of these historical fires, casts Bass in poor light. Combined, these decisions appear as if she is dismissing the hard work of “America’s heroes” by dismantling the LAFD.
The United Firefighters of Los Angeles City has rallied behind Crowley as she appeals this decision. The President, Freddy Escobar, blatantly called Bass out for making Crowley a scapegoat. The union has also proven incredibly resilient against these efforts, as members like Escobar and Ninburg have no hesitation in publicly opposing Bass and supporting Crowley. With a union as influential as UFLAC openly criticizing Bass, she has a whole new slew of political enemies.
Bass still holds some leverage by removing a clear political opponent from a position of power. As Los Angeles is prone to wildfires, Crowley highlighted Bass’ lack of foresight when she revealed the budget cuts made to the LAFD in the December report. Removing Crowley can be seen as punishment for embarrassing Bass over her own shortcomings and prevention of any future political opposition. This also bolsters Bass’ own political clout, as she reiterates all the failures of Crowley while highlighting her commitment to working with Angelenos.
Bass has reclaimed the one thing she was stripped of when the fires first broke out: control. She could not control the backlash she received when she cut the LAFD budget or when she was in Ghana. Now, she is asserting control over the leadership and agenda for the LAFD. This provides an important opportunity to appoint a new fire chief who aligns with Bass’ beliefs and values.
Bass can now set the agenda for the future of recovery for Los Angeles. She announced her bid for reelection in 2024. However, failure to comply with the demands of thousands of Angelenos impacted by the fires will seriously harm her chances of winning. If she plays her cards right in the following months, authorizing aid to citizens and appointing an experienced fire chief, she can overcome her mounting opposition.
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