On Friday, as firefighters persisted in combating extensive wildfires, Los Angeles Fire Chief Christine Crowley astonished many viewers with a remarkable television interview.
Crowley, faced with a FOX 11 journalist, stated that the city of Los Angeles, and indirectly her superior, Mayor Karen Bass, had let her and her department down. She continued by mentioning that fire departments are inadequately staffed and financed, asserting that the current state is “no longer sustainable.”
A few hours afterwards, Crowley stormed into the mayor’s evening media briefing concerning the wildfires, having lingered too long in Bass’s office for a meeting. Ms. Bass ultimately missed the briefing, where she had been promoted as a key speaker.
While a group of journalists waited for the press conference to commence, a smaller contingent was stationed outside the mayor’s office. Both groups were stunned when the Daily Mail reported on its site that Mr. Bass had terminated Mr. Crowley.
Bus spokesman Zach Seidl stated that this was inaccurate. The fire department also issued a statement affirming that Bass and Crowley’s “primary concern remains combating the ongoing wildfires and safeguarding Angelenos.”
“It is crucial to highlight that the fire chief has not been dismissed and remains fully in command of LAFD,” a statement posted on X by spokesperson Eric Scott declared.
Friday’s events amplified the feeling of disorder surrounding the catastrophic wildfires that have ravaged parts of the Pacific Palisades and Malibu, along with Altadena, an unincorporated region outside the city of Los Angeles, claiming at least 13 lives. This further heightened it.
Crowley’s remarks escalated the tensions between her and Bass regarding fire department funding to a heightened level.
Some within City Hall privately speculated whether Crowley’s candidness might cost her job. A source familiar with the discussions indicated that before meeting with the mayor, he informed staff that he anticipated being terminated.
On Saturday morning, Bass participated in another wildfire briefing with Crowley, telling reporters that she and the chief were “focused on combating the fires.” Bass, positioned near Crowley, emphasized that he had no plans to dismiss the chief during their previous meeting.
“As you can observe, the Secretary and I remain steadfastly devoted to our primary mission, which is to navigate through this emergency at present,” Bass stated. “We aim to preserve lives, protect homes, safeguard businesses, and we will continue to discreetly address any disagreements between us.”
Crowley echoed that sentiment, stating he had met with Bass to discuss mutual priorities. “We are both concentrated on the urgent necessity to address these devastating wildfires,” she remarked.
Nonetheless, Mr. Crowley’s viewpoints on fire department funding were never concealed.
On Friday’s network television broadcast, she emphasized the notion that her department had been under-resourced for an excessive period. “We can no longer sustain the status quo,” she conveyed to CNN anchor Jake Tapper.
Mr. Crowley informed Mr. Tapper that his department lacked sufficient firefighters. The agency also mentioned a shortage of mechanics to repair malfunctioning emergency vehicles.
At one juncture, Tapper inquired if budget reductions would negatively affect the agency’s capacity to combat ongoing wildfires.
“I want to be very clear: Yes, we have slashed our budget by $17 million,” she countered. “And as you know, any decrease in the budget will adversely impact our ability to fulfill our mission.”
Bass dismissed the suggestion that there was any link between the department’s cuts and the city’s response to the wildfires.
City Administrator Matt Szabo, who assists in preparing the city’s budget, indicated that the fire department’s budget is anticipated to rise by over 7 percent this year, factoring in pay raises for new firefighters and vehicle acquisitions. Szabo elaborated on the number of firefighters who responded to the blaze and the hours they worked.
Crowley was appointed by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2022 to become the first female leader of the fire department, which has grappled with hiring female firefighters for years. An employee in the department for more than two decades, she has repeatedly attended press briefings since the fire outbreak, updating the media on firefighting activities.
Throughout her career, she has persistently advocated for the department’s budget.
Last month, she dispatched a memo to Bass-appointed Fire Commission members expressing serious apprehensions regarding the city’s decision to cut dozens of non-firefighter vacancies within her office.
Mr. Crowley also voiced concerns about what he referred to as a $7 million reduction in variable overtime hours (“v-hours”) in the document. He stated in the memo that the cuts “significantly limited the department’s capability to prepare for, train for, and respond to large-scale emergencies such as wildfires.”
In an interview with Fox 11, Crowley elaborated, stating the department is not receiving the financial support it requires to deliver services to city residents. She asserted that the department needs to double its number of firefighters and add 62 fire stations.
“We need to adequately fund our fire department so we can look our community in the eye and affirm, ‘LAFD has your back,'” she stated.
“And you can’t do that now?” Fox 11 reporter Gigi Graciette retorted.
“Right now? No,” Crowley replied. “And that’s why I’m here.”
City Councilwoman Tracy Park, who represents Pacific Palisades, commended Crowley’s efforts and advocacy. Standing within the city’s emergency operations center on Friday, Park remarked that the fire department has been subjected to “decades of chronic underfunding.”
“The issues she’s highlighting are genuinely significant,” she stated.