Kristin Crowley, head of Los Angeles Fire Department, removed Friday Mayor Karen Bass cited the failure to remove firefighters before Firestorm began on January 7.
“We know that the 1,000 firefighters who might be on duty in the morning were sent home Chief Crowley’s watch,” Bass said in a statement.
A series of investigations In the past few A few weeks have revealed deep concern About whether the Los Angeles Fire Department has prepared a broad warning for January 7 Hurricanes are strongly windy and dry.
This is what the Times reported:
Failed to pre-deploy
- Interviews and internal LAFD records show that Los Angeles’ top fire commanders decided not to assign emergency deployment of approximately 1,000 available firefighters and dozens of engines carrying water.
- Fire officials choose not to order firefighters to be on duty during the second shift in the wind, which will double the staff at hand
Missed opportunity
- Several former senior officials of the department told the Times that LAFD may send at least 10 engines to the Pacific Palisades – several former senior officials of the department told Times ), engines that may patrol along hillsides and canyons.
- The former official said crew members of the engines may have discovered the fire shortly after the fire, when it was still small enough to give them a chance to control it.
2025 and 2011
- Faced with severe fire conditions in 2011, LAFD has positioned at least 40 additional fire engines in areas with the greatest fire hazards in areas including Palisades. Records and interview records show that other rigs include more than 20 TV stations and 18 “off-the-shelf reserve” engines that complement conventional firefighting forces in such emergencies.
- This is in stark contrast to the January 7 decision.
The chairman of the Fire Commissioner Committee said earlier this month that it would conduct an “independent audit” of Palisades Fire.
Palisade evacuated
- Times also investigated Chaotic evacuation On January 7, the streets of Pacific Palisades were stiffened at least 40 minutes before the first extensive evacuation order. Firefighters and police told the motorist to get out as the flames approached. The abandoned car worsened the jam and prevented first responders from passing. Residents trapped by the blocked roads said they were forced to shelter in place.
- The three main roads in the community have been warned for decades that thousands of people live upstream of Palisade proved to be prophecy.
