As the most destructive fire in Los Angeles area history rages on, Mayor Karen Bass faces criticism over the timing of an overseas trip and budget cuts made months ago that affected the city’s fire department. For a second consecutive day, L.A. residents awoke to an inferno that has claimed at least five lives and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes.
The Palisades Fire erupted around 10:30 a.m. PT on January 7, while Bass was in Ghana attending the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama as part of a US presidential delegation. The trip, announced by the White House earlier this month, coincided with the fire’s rapid expansion, fueled by intense winds that temporarily prevented aerial firefighting efforts.
Rick Caruso, a real estate developer and former mayoral candidate, criticized Bass for her absence, saying, “This is an absolute mismanagement by the city and I’m going to be very honest, we’ve got a mayor that’s out of the country and we’ve got a city that’s burning.” Bass emphasized the “unprecedented” nature of the fires and defended her leadership during the crisis, insisting that her “number one focus” is protecting lives and saving homes.
The fires have scorched over 25,000 acres and destroyed nearly 2,000 homes, businesses, and other structures, with firefighters and first responders struggling to contain the five fast-moving wildfires. The National Weather Service had issued numerous warnings about dangerous weather conditions, including destructive windstorms, in the days leading up to the fire.
Bass has sought to assure residents that cuts to the fire department’s annual budget have not impacted the city’s current ability to address the fires. However, in June, Bass approved a budget of nearly $13 billion that included a $17 million reduction in the LAFD’s more than $800 million budget for 2025. The department had been unable to perform required brush clearance inspections to mitigate fire risks and residential inspections for fire safety compliance were reduced.
The report also highlighted that the department had been unable to perform required brush clearance inspections to mitigate fire risks, and residential inspections for fire safety compliance were reduced.
