Much of the blame game following the LA fires centers around who knew what and when. Karma Dickerson and Annabelle Sedano reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, March 4, 2025.
Former Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley lost her reinstatement appeal Tuesday afternoon before the LA City Council.
The council's decision in a 13-2 vote marked a key point in the timeline of events since Mayor Bass fired Crowley on Feb. 21 after the two took repeated jabs at each other.
Here's how it all played out:
- Dec. 4: In a general memo, LAFD Chief Kristin Crowley warns budget cuts will affect large scale fire responses
- Jan. 3: The White House announces Mayor Karen Bass will travel to Ghana as part of a diplomatic mission. The National Weather Service also issues a fire watch.
- Jan. 4: Bass leaves for Ghana.
- Jan. 6: Bass’s “X” social media account warns of “expected destructive and potentially life-threatening windstorm.”
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There is an expected destructive and potentially life-threatening windstorm starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon.
— Mayor Karen Bass (@MayorOfLA) January 7, 2025
Red Flag No Parking Restrictions will go into effect in certain areas tomorrow morning.
Stay safe LA! Join @NotifyLA here: https://t.co/C2EO2lzTXO https://t.co/ChmYDOhJPr
- Jan. 7: The Palisades Fire breaks out at roughly 10:30 a.m. Bass declares a state of emergency that night at 8:45 p.m.
- Jan. 8: Bass returns to Los Angeles.
- Jan. 10: Bass and Chief Crowley meet for a discussion about budget cuts.
- Jan. 12: Crowley publicly criticized the city for LAFD budget cuts.
- Feb. 13: Bass tells NBCLA’s Cohen Nolan her Ghana trip was a mistake, saying “there was no question about that.”
- Feb. 19: LAFD pushes back against Bass after she claimed she was not properly warned in advance of the windstorm.
- Feb 21: Bass announces she has removed Crowley as fire chief.
- Feb. 27: Los Angeles City Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson schedules a special hearing for Crowley with notice just 24 hours in advance. The hearing is later rebooked for the following week.
- Feb 28: Crowley appeals her dismissal.
- March 4: Crowley loses the reinstatement vote 13-2 after an impassioned plea to the City Council.
Dozens of firefighters met with Crowley ahead of the hearing in support of their chief. IAFF Local-112, the union that represents LAFD, has also long complained about a lack of funding.
LA City Councilwomen Monica Rodriguez spoke to NBCLA after the reinstatement hearing as just one of two council members to vote in favor of Crowley. She said "one singular person shouldn't be attributed all the blame," and that "people need to be held accountable at multiple levels."
Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Pacific Palisades, was the only other vote in support of Crowley.
Crowley has exercised her right to remain with the LAFD at a lower rank. Her new title is Assistant Chief of LAFD’s Operations Valley Bureau.
The mayor's office issued a statement after the hearing.
"After testimony by the former Chief confirming she sent firefighters home on the morning of January 7th and that she would not move forward with an internal after action report, her appeal was rejected 13-2 by members of the City Council," Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for the mayor's office, said after the council vote. "This is an issue of public safety and for the operations of the Los Angeles Fire Department – the City of Los Angeles is moving forward."
