Author of key report on Palisades fire was upset over changes that weakened it, sources say

"Deletions and revisions in drafts of the LAFD's after-action report on the Palisades fire have raised questions about the department's ability to acknowledge its mistakes before and during the blaze. The report's author, an LAFD battalion chief, was upset about changes made without his involvement, according to two sources familiar with the matter. The most significant changes to the report involved the LAFD's deployment decisions before the fire, as the wind warnings became increasingly dire."

"The author's complaints reached Mayor Karen Bass' office in mid-November, after the LAFD had publicly released the report, said Clara Karger, a spokesperson for Bass. "The Mayor has inquired with Chief Moore about the concerns," Karger said last week, referring to LAFD Chief Jaime Moore. The sources, who requested anonymity to protect their relationships with the LAFD and city officials, said the report by Battalion Chief Kenneth Cook was intended to be a final draft. Cook declined to comment."

Deletions and revisions across multiple drafts of the Los Angeles Fire Department after-action report removed or softened findings about leadership and deployment decisions connected to the Jan. 7 Palisades fire. Complaints about those edits reached Mayor Karen Bass' office, prompting an inquiry with Chief Jaime Moore. Sources who spoke on background said the document had been intended as a final draft. Public records show seven drafts were analyzed and the biggest changes concerned failure to fully staff up and pre-deploy resources as extreme wind warnings intensified; language saying those choices did not align with red-flag policies was removed or softened. A battalion chief declined to comment.

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