In the midst of California’s wildfire chaos, tensions between Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) Chief Kristin Crowley and Mayor Karen Bass’ office reached a boiling point, sparking rumors of Crowley’s potential firing. While these reports were swiftly denied, the drama highlighted growing friction between the city’s leadership and its fire department amid a disaster of unprecedented scale.
The controversy began after Chief Crowley gave a no-holds-barred interview to FOX 11’s Gigi Graciette, openly criticizing the city’s failure to properly fund and prepare the LAFD for crises like the ongoing wildfires.
“My message is the fire department needs to be properly funded,” Crowley declared. “It’s not.”
WATCH: LAFD chief says the city ‘failed her’ in preparing for response to California firespic.twitter.com/IMCeyR5mrG
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) January 10, 2025
The blunt statement reportedly ruffled feathers at City Hall, with some firefighters speculating that Crowley had been summoned by the mayor to face a reprimand—or worse, to resign. Adding fuel to the fire, reports surfaced that Crowley had been ousted.
However, both the mayor’s office and LAFD denied these claims. In a carefully worded statement, the LAFD reassured the public that Crowley remained firmly in command:
“Fire Chief Kristin Crowley met with Mayor Karen Bass. Their foremost priorities continue to be fighting the current wildfires and safeguarding Angelenos. It is important to note that the Fire Chief was not dismissed.”
#UPDATE Statement from @MayorOfLA office: “The Mayor and Chief met. The priority remains fighting these fires and protecting Angelenos.”
— Josh Haskell (@abc7JoshHaskell) January 11, 2025
Fox11 Los Angeles says fire chief Crowley was ordered into the meeting, Mayor Bass was angry with her over Crowley's admission on TV that the city's government had failed the fire department
— Sunny (@sunnyright) January 11, 2025
While the dismissal rumors were debunked, insiders say the meeting was far from cordial. Crowley has been under fire herself for pushing politically driven initiatives like bias training over critical wildfire preparedness, a decision many blame for the department’s current struggles.
Meanwhile, Mayor Bass, whose leadership during the crisis has been widely criticized, appears to be bracing for a post-wildfire backlash. Both she and Crowley are scrambling to shift blame and build defenses for the inevitable fallout.
With California’s political and disaster management priorities under scrutiny, one thing is clear: the public deserves better leadership before the next disaster strikes.
