Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass ousts fire chief over deadly wildfires
Science from LA fires could help better predict fire behavior in the future
Data and observations from the LA wildfires could help scientists to better predict fire behavior in the future leading to improved public safety.
LOS ANGELES - Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has been let go effective immediately, Mayor Karen Bass announced Friday.
Bass said she met with Crowley Friday and removed her from the position of chief.
Bass appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year LAFD veteran, as Interim Fire Chief.
During a press conference Friday afternoon, Bass said Crowley was asked to do an after-action report on the fires but refused… so she was let go.
"A necessary step to the investigation was the president of the fire commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after-action report on the fires. The fire chief refused. We all know that a thousand firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke were instead sent home on Chief Crowley's watch. These actions required her removal," Bass said during the press conference.
Mayor Bass' full statement
What they're saying:
The mayor's office released a full statement saying, "Acting in the best interests of Los Angeles’ public safety, and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department, I have removed Kristin Crowley as Fire Chief. We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch. Furthermore, a necessary step to an investigation was the President of the Fire Commission telling Chief Crowley to do an after-action report on the fires. The Chief refused. These require her removal. The heroism of our firefighters – during the Palisades fire and every single day – is without question. Bringing new leadership to the Fire Department is what our city needs."
Turmoil after the LA wildfires
Dig deeper:
Mayor Bass was heavily criticized for being out of the country when the Palisades and Eaton fires broke out on Jan. 7. She was in Ghana as part of a four-member U.S. delegation sent by President Joe Biden to attend the inauguration of John Dramani Mahama as that nation's president.
Bass returned to Los Angeles the day after the fires erupted. Many criticized her for the lack of response during the wildfires and for leaving the country during LA's time of need.
In her first sit-down TV interview since the fires erupted, Bass told FOX 11 that Fire Chief Kristin Crowley did not call to warn her in advance of the trip and didn't do the "normal preparations" for this kind of wind event. Bass told FOX 11 that no advance warnings were given to her prior to leaving.
"That type of preparation didn't happen. If that had. I wouldn't have even gone to San Diego, let alone leave the country."
She said it's not clear why she never got any advance notice of the significant wind event.
President Trump to visit L.A. County to survey damage from wildfires
Gov. Newsom says he hasn’t been in touch with the White House but he does plan to meet President Trump when he arrives on Friday.
Crowley discusses budget cuts during fires
On January 10, in an interview with FOX 11, Crowley said budget cuts to the fire department hindered their firefighting efforts.
In an interview with FOX 11’s Gigi Graciette, Crowley said she’s been sounding the alarm about what the fire department needs many times in the past.
Crowley said since 2010, the amount of calls firefighters have responded to has doubled, but there are fewer fire stations now than there were then – and 68 fewer firefighters.
"This isn't a new problem for us," Crowley said to FOX 11 on Jan. 10. "The fire department needs to be funded appropriately so that I can look any community member in the eye and say your LAFD’s got your back."
LAFD budget cuts
According to Los Angeles City Controller Kenneth Mejia, the city cut the LAFD's funding by $17.6 million in the 2025 fiscal year, which started on July 1, 2024. Compared to the city's other departments, the LAFD saw the second-largest cut, next to street services.
Looking at the budget summaries for the 2023-2024 fiscal year and the 2024-2025 fiscal year, though, shows the year-over-year difference is closer to about $30 million.
Who will replace Crowley?
What's next:
Bass said her office will now lead a national search for the next fire chief.
Ronnie Villanueva, a 41-year veteran of the department, will act as the interim chief in the meantime.
Interim Chief Villanueva retired from the Fire Department as Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations, and has experience in fire suppression, emergency management, and management. Villanueva also spent 24 years in the field on active assignments.
Who is Kristin Crowley
The backstory:
Kristin Crowley became the first woman to lead the Los Angeles Fire Department in March 2022.
She was nominated by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti and was unanimously confirmed. She took over the position from Chief Ralph Terrazas who retired that year.
Crowley already made history within the LAFD when she became the city's first female fire marshal in 2016.
During her two decades with the department, she rose through the ranks as firefighter, firefighter paramedic, engineer, fire inspector, captain I, captain II, battalion chief, assistant chief, fire marshal and deputy chief.
The Source: Information for this story came from the Office of Mayor Karen Bass and previous FOX 11 reports.