Ex-Los Angeles Fire Chief Sues City Over Firing After Palisades Fire

Kristin Crowley alleges Mayor Karen Bass spread misinformation to avoid accountability for the devastating wildfire.

Feb. 24, 2026 at 10:06pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

The former Los Angeles fire chief, Kristin Crowley, has filed a lawsuit against the city, claiming her ouster was part of an orchestrated effort by Mayor Karen Bass to smear her conduct and decision-making in order to avoid accountability for the destructive Palisades Fire in 2025. Crowley alleges Bass made false statements to shift blame and distract from criticism over her being out of the country when the blaze started, despite weather warnings.

Why it matters

This case highlights the political tensions and finger-pointing that can arise in the aftermath of a major disaster, as officials try to assign blame and protect their reputations. It also raises questions about the management and funding of the Los Angeles Fire Department, and whether the city's response to the Palisades Fire could have been improved.

The details

Crowley's lawsuit alleges that Bass fired her a month after the January 2025 Palisades Fire, which destroyed or damaged nearly 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures, and killed at least 12 people. The lawsuit claims Bass spread misinformation to protect her own political reputation, falsely claiming Crowley failed to predeploy firefighters and sent 1,000 home instead of keeping them on duty when the fire broke out. Crowley disputes these claims, accusing Bass of deliberately diverting scrutiny from her own decisions, including being out of the country when the fire started despite weather warnings.

  • The Palisades Fire began on January 7, 2025.
  • Kristin Crowley was fired by Mayor Karen Bass on February 21, 2025, six weeks after the fire started.
  • In March 2025, Crowley lost an appeal to the City Council to win back her job.

The players

Kristin Crowley

The former Los Angeles fire chief who has filed a lawsuit against the city, alleging her ouster was part of an orchestrated effort by Mayor Karen Bass to smear her conduct and decision-making.

Karen Bass

The mayor of Los Angeles who fired Kristin Crowley as fire chief, and is accused of spreading misinformation to avoid accountability for the Palisades Fire.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“There is nothing new here. Ms. Crowley was removed from her post for her failure to predeploy and her decision to send 1,000 firefighters home instead of keeping them on duty on the morning the fires broke out.”

— Yusef Robb, Senior Adviser to Mayor Karen Bass (myjournalcourier.com)

“These false statements were not mistakes but part of a deliberate strategy to divert scrutiny from Bass' decisions and to avoid accountability.”

— Kristin Crowley (myjournalcourier.com)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide whether to allow Kristin Crowley's lawsuit against the city of Los Angeles to proceed.

The takeaway

This case highlights the political tensions that can arise in the aftermath of a major disaster, as officials try to assign blame and protect their reputations. It also raises questions about the management and funding of the Los Angeles Fire Department, and whether the city's response to the Palisades Fire could have been improved.