LA Mayor Facing Criticism Over Wildfires: A Closer Look
LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under scrutiny for her management of the ongoing deadly wildfires across the region. Criticism has been mounting from influential city figures as she returned from a trip to Africa.
The Criticism
Patrick Soon-Shiong, the billionaire owner of the Los Angeles Times, criticized Bass for allegedly cutting the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget despite the high wildfire risk in the region. Questions were raised about reports of dry fire hydrants in the Pacific Palisades.
Soon-Shiong’s tweet highlighted the budget cut by stating, “Fires in LA are sadly no surprise, yet the Mayor cut LA Fire Department’s budget by $23M.” The city budget documents indicated a decrease of around $17 million in the department’s budget compared to the previous cycle.
Political Backlash
Moderate Democrat Rick Caruso, who lost the mayoral bid to Bass, criticized her for traveling to Ghana despite prior warnings about an impending windstorm. The delayed return of the Mayor drew criticism even from the left flank of political media.
Tommy Vietor, a former Obama staffer and Pod Save America host, expressed his dismay at Bass’ decision to not return earlier. Caruso, who witnessed damage to his shopping complex in the Pacific Palisades, compared Los Angeles’ infrastructure to that of a “third-world country.”
Infrastructure Concerns
The Los Angeles Department of Water and Power addressed concerns about water supply and refuted claims that water tanks in Pacific Palisades were not filled adequately. Despite the water tanks being filled to capacity, the supplies were exhausted by Wednesday morning.
Devastating Impact
Officials reported the destruction of over 1,000 homes, businesses, and buildings due to the Palisades and Eaton fires. The fires in various areas had burned nearly 6,000 acres and remained uncontained. The situation drew attention from President-elect Donald Trump, who criticized the management of the fire by the state’s Democratic governor.
Current Status
As of now, the fires are still uncontained, and efforts are ongoing to control the situation. While Bass is en route back to Los Angeles, updates on the LAFD’s operations and guidance for residents are being shared on her official channels.
