As the L.A. fires rage, Mayor Karen Bass faces fierce criticism for overseas trip, budget cuts

As the most destructive fire in Los Angeles area history rages, Mayor Karen Bass faces criticism over the timing of an overseas trip and budget cuts made months ago that affected the city’s fire department.

As the most destructive fire in Los Angeles area history rages, Mayor Karen Bass faces criticism over the timing of an overseas trip and budget cuts made months ago that affected the city’s fire department. For a second consecutive day, L.A. residents awoke to an inferno that has claimed at least five lives and forced tens of thousands to flee their homes. Firefighters and first responders are struggling to contain five fast-moving wildfires that have scorched over 25,000 acres and destroyed nearly 2,000 homes, businesses and other structures. The Palisades Fire erupted around 10:30 a.m. PT on January 7, while Bass was in Ghana attending the inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama as part of a US presidential delegation. The trip, announced by the White House earlier this month, coincided with the fire’s rapid expansion, fueled by intense winds that temporarily prevented aerial firefighting efforts. The National Weather Service in Los Angeles had issued numerous warnings about dangerous weather conditions, including destructive windstorms, in the days leading up to the fire, said Ariel Cohen, a meteorologist with the agency. “This is an event that had exceptionally long lead times, not only of the powerful windstorm that we anticipated but also the potential for a particularly dangerous situation, red flag warning, fire weather conditions,” Cohen said. Rick Caruso, a real estate developer and former mayoral candidate, criticized Bass for her absence, saying, “This is an absolute mismanagement by the city and I’m going to be very honest, we’ve got a mayor that’s out of the country and we’ve got a city that’s burning.”