In a stunning admission, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has publicly acknowledged that her decision to travel to Ghana during a catastrophic wildfire outbreak was a grave error.
According to the Daily Mail, in an interview with Vice News, Bass expressed deep remorse for being abroad while wildfires destroyed homes, displaced thousands, and scorched over 40,000 acres across Los Angeles and surrounding areas, a crisis compounded by criticism over her fire department budget cuts and leadership choices.
Before the disaster struck, multiple fire weather warnings had been issued for Los Angeles, signaling a high risk of dangerous conditions. Despite these alerts, as reported by the Los Angeles Times, Bass’s team was aware of the potential threats before her departure. Nevertheless, Bass embarked on a trip to Ghana as part of a U.S. delegation, attending the presidential inauguration of President John Dramani Mahama and meetings with Ghana’s first female vice president.
The journey was meant to strengthen international bonds and cultural connections, but it coincided with a devastating turn of events back home. As Bass was abroad, wildfires erupted, tearing through neighborhoods like Pacific Palisades and leaving a trail of destruction. While in Ghana, Bass posted updates on social media in January, expressing gratitude to first responders and sharing resources for shelters, though she was physically absent from the city.
Bass returned to the U.S. the day after the fires began their rampage through Los Angeles communities. During her 12-hour flight back, she spent much of the time on the phone, coordinating efforts to prepare an emergency declaration for the city. Upon her arrival, the scale of the disaster—over 40,000 acres burned, countless homes lost, and thousands displaced—became painfully clear.
Bass faced immediate and intense criticism for her absence during such a critical time. Sky News reporter David Blevins confronted her with pointed questions, asking, “Do you owe your citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning?” Blevins pressed further, questioning, “Do you regret cutting the fire department by millions of dollars, Madam Mayor? Have you nothing to say today?” Bass offered no response to these inquiries.
Adding to the controversy, Bass had proposed a significant reduction to the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget in 2024, initially suggesting a $23 million cut. The final approved reduction, as reported by the Daily Mail, amounted to $17.6 million, a decision that drew sharp scrutiny amid the wildfire crisis. In her defense, Bass explained, “And the budget cut - I don't know the reasons for it - and then the budget cut that never happened. What we did when we did the budget was we put money aside for fire because we were in labor negotiations.”
She continued, “When the labor negotiations were done, we put it back in the budget. Which is a common thing. We're doing that right now.” Further compounding the fallout, Bass dismissed Fire Chief Kristin Crowley in February, following the height of the crisis. Crowley had openly criticized city leadership, responding with a firm “yes” when asked by Fox News if she felt let down by those in charge during the emergency.
Crowley also accused city leaders of failing to adequately support emergency operations as the fires raged uncontrolled. Bass, reflecting on the lack of communication, stated, “I did ask the chief when I came back, like, 'Why didn't you tell me?' and basically the response was: 'Because we have Santa Anas all the time, and nobody expected hurricane-force winds.'” She added, “I didn't get briefed. That's true. But again, people did not anticipate the historic wind. And it wasn't just LA - it was the county too.”
Bass elaborated on the breakdown in protocol, saying, “What typically happens is that if there's going to be a big weather event, there are these briefings that happen. It's either initiated by the fire department or the emergency department.”
She continued, “I was used to the fire chief calling me and telling me, 'This is getting ready to happen, come over, I need to brief you.' Everything goes into motion. That didn't happen - in the city or in the county.” Addressing equipment issues, Bass noted, “Yes, there were broken fire engines. We find out later that those fire engines were there broken because they're used for spare parts. But there were 40 fire engines that were idle because they didn't have the staff that [Crowley] sent home.”
In her Vice News interview, Bass did not shy away from expressing remorse, stating, “I was asked, 'Do I regret going?' Hell yeah.” She drew a personal parallel, saying, “I mean, let me just do a comparison. If you are out of town and your kid or a member of your family gets sick or hurt, it doesn't matter where you were or why you were there. You feel horrible.” Bass also clarified her initial unawareness of the danger, admitting, “I'm really not trying to give excuses, but there was no way in the world I knew that the city was in danger when I left. Absolutely no way.”
The wildfires have left an indelible mark on Los Angeles, with communities still grappling with the loss of homes and the displacement of thousands of residents. For Bass, the criticism over her trip and subsequent decisions regarding the fire department’s budget and leadership continues to cast a shadow over her tenure.
As the city rebuilds, her admission of regret may be a step toward mending public trust, though the road to recovery—both physical and political—remains long and challenging.