Los Angeles Mayor’s Controversial Trip Amid Wildfires

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass found herself defending her trip to Ghana while wildfires wreaked havoc in her city, particularly affecting Pacific Palisades and Altadena.

During a KBLA Talk 1580 Town Hall and Ballot Forum, Bass asserted that the city’s response to the wildfires would have remained unchanged had she been in Los Angeles, attributing the challenges to the fires’ extensive scope.

“People go through grief – and I know that well – one stage is anger. People are understandably upset,” she remarked. “I get it. Even if I was here, the outcome would have been the same.”

She went on to explain, “Our city is so large that something is bound to happen when you’re away. I’m not a firefighter but as mayor, it’s important for me to be present.”

Bass acknowledged, back in July 2025, that going to Ghana was a misstep. “When asked if I regret going? Absolutely,” she told Vice News. “To put it another way, if you’re out of town and a family member falls ill, it really doesn’t matter where you are; the guilt is the same.”

Her visit to West Africa came as part of a U.S. delegation attending a presidential inauguration, despite weather reports warning of high winds and fire dangers.

Later, the Los Angeles Times reported that Bass had influenced the final wording of the after-action report regarding the wildfires. Reports indicated that the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) made several edits to present a more favorable narrative of their actions.

Among the alterations, language indicating that the decision to not fully staff and pre-deploy crews ahead of threatening winds “did not align” with operational standards was deleted. Furthermore, sections detailing that some units waited over an hour for assignments on the day of the fire were also removed. Issues labeled as “failures” were rephrased as “primary challenges,” and references to breaches of national safety guidelines went missing.

An initial draft of the report, managed by interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva after Mayor Bass dismissed the former chief, included notes suggesting swapping out a “negative” cover image of flames for a “positive” one showcasing firefighters in action. There were reportedly seven drafts created before the final version, and none of the drafts had identifying names.

The Los Angeles Times revealed that these changes were reportedly directed by Mayor Bass, particularly regarding the city’s shortcomings in adequately staffing and preparing for the extreme weather. While Bass has consistently denied requesting these changes, some sources claim she did intervene.

Insiders disclosed to the newspaper that upon reviewing early drafts, Bass expressed that the report could lead to legal repercussions for the city and sought to have critical findings about the LAFD’s operations either removed or softened prior to its public release. Two sources familiar with the situation indicated they would testify about the mayor’s involvement if necessary.

One source bluntly stated that Bass “didn’t tell the truth” when she claimed ignorance about the report’s edits, suggesting that it was a questionable decision to alter it. The mayor’s office, however, refuted claims of her pressure to change the report.