Los Angeles mayor sacks Fire chief Kristin Crowley, appoints replacement

Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has been sacked by Mayor Karen Bass.

This follows the recent devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, which killed dozens and destroyed hundreds of homes.

In a statement on Friday, Bass said she removed Crowley because firefighters were sent home instead of being deployed when the fires broke out in January.

“We know that 1,000 firefighters who could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch,” Bass said.

“Furthermore, a necessary step in the investigation was the President of the Fire Commission instructing Chief Crowley to produce an after-action report on the fires. The Chief refused. This necessitated her removal.”

Meanwhile, Ronnie Villanueva, a retired LA Fire Chief Deputy of Emergency Operations, has been appointed as interim chief.

The wildfires claimed 26 lives, destroyed thousands of homes, and displaced over 150,000 residents.