Investigation Called for After Palisades Fire Incident
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has requested an investigation into the Palisades fire, particularly after text messages indicated that firefighters left behind burn scars from the January 1 blaze. This, she fears, allowed roots to smolder and later reignite.
According to an investigation by the Los Angeles Times, the local Fire Department battalion chief, overseeing the incident known as the Lachman Fire, instructed firefighters to pack up their hoses after searching for hot spots on January 2. However, the smoldering roots likely reignited due to strong winds just a few days later, leading to the Palisades Fire.
During the critical period, while Bass was on a trip to Africa with the outgoing Biden administration, she became aware of the situation and has now demanded a review from the Fire Department, despite warnings about the potential polar wind event.
Interestingly, Bass hasn’t called for an independent inquiry and perhaps overlooked the reality that the LAFD might not be inclined or capable of conducting a transparent investigation into its own actions or missteps.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Bass described the situation as “very disturbing.” In a letter directed to Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva, she insisted on a “thorough investigation” into the department’s failures to control what federal officials stated was an intentionally sparked wildfire on New Year’s Day. This new information has reignited anger among those who lost their homes during the city’s worst fire.
Bass emphasized the need for a comprehensive understanding of the response to the Lachman fire to clarify what transpired during the January wildfires.
Earlier this year, Bass dismissed LAFD Chief Kristen Crowley, who had opted not to pre-deploy firefighters before the Luckman Fire on January 7. Crowley’s decisions were complicated by budget cuts demanded by the mayor, restricting the department’s capacity for paying overtime to firefighters.
Furthermore, it’s noteworthy that Los Angeles allocates more funds to homeless services than to firefighting, and a significant portion of fires are reportedly started by homeless individuals.
