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2mo ago

LA Wildfires Expose Failures in Emergency Response and Leadership

Newly released records reveal critical missteps by Los Angeles officials before and during January's devastating fires that claimed 29 lives and destroyed thousands of structures.

A crew of firefighters walk from a fire line during the Park Fire in Tehama County's Mill Creek area of California August 7, 2024.
A crew from Los Angels Water and Power stands near a downed tree in the Boyle Heights section of Los Angeles, Thursday, December 1, 2011.
In this long exposure photo, fire smolders on a hillside during the Lilac fire in unincorporated San Diego County, California on January 21, 2025.
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Overview

  • The Palisades and Eaton wildfires burned over 60,000 acres, killed 29 people, and displaced tens of thousands in January 2025.
  • Records show LA officials underestimated the severity of fire risks, activating the lowest level of emergency management despite warnings of extreme weather conditions.
  • Fire Chief Kristin Crowley was removed by Mayor Karen Bass for decisions including sending firefighters home before the fires broke out; Crowley is appealing the decision.
  • Firefighting efforts were hampered by dry hydrants and plummeting water pressure, with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power warning of critical shortages during the fires.
  • Governor Gavin Newsom has called for an independent investigation into the response failures and requested $40 billion in federal wildfire recovery aid.