Crowley Pushed Back on Bass’ Claims About the Palisades Fire Response
The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to deny former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley’s appeal of her dismissal, marking the first time such an appeal has been filed since 2008.
The 13-2 vote fell far short of the 10 votes needed to overturn Mayor Karen Bass’ decision to remove Crowley from her post. Only Councilmembers Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez supported her reinstatement, while the majority declined to override the mayor’s authority to dismiss appointed officials with or without cause.
Mayor Bass dismissed Crowley on Feb. 21, citing concerns over public safety and her handling of the Palisades Fire. The mayor accused Crowley of making the controversial decision to send 1,000 firefighters home on the morning of Jan. 7, despite National Weather Service warnings of extreme fire danger due to hurricane-force Santa Ana winds. Bass also claimed that Crowley refused to conduct an after-action report evaluating the fire department’s response.
Crowley, however, strongly refuted those allegations.
“I did not refuse to conduct an after-action report,” she stated. “Let me be clear: This is a false accusation.”
She also pushed back against claims that she sent home 1,000 firefighters and left 40 available fire engines unstaffed, arguing that more than 100 fire engines and other vehicles were already out of service due to mechanical issues, making it impossible to deploy the additional personnel.
Tuesday’s hearing was Crowley’s first public appearance since her removal.
Rodriguez, a vocal supporter of Crowley, called her firing “scapegoating” and argued that the City Council had a duty to examine the reasoning behind it. She noted that the $150,000 funding for the after-action report had not yet been approved by the city, contradicting the claim that Crowley refused to participate in it.
Park, the second council member who voted to reinstate Crowley, questioned the timing of her dismissal before any formal investigations into the Palisades Fire were completed.
“Accountability doesn’t just stop with one person or one department,” Park said. “We need to let independent investigations guide our actions, not politics.”
Speaking outside City Hall, Crowley expressed gratitude for the opportunity to appeal and share her side of the story. “I am very grateful that I have the opportunity to appeal and to speak my truth,” Crowley said. “There has been a tremendous amount of love and outpouring from the community.”
She also pledged to continue advocating for better support and resources for LAFD personnel.
“We’re going to push and work to get our people what they need to do their jobs, and to support the community,” she added. Following the council’s decision, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) issued a statement thanking Crowley for her leadership.
“The Los Angeles City Fire Department is grateful for Chief Crowley and her leadership during the time she served as Fire Chief,” the agency said.
