L.A. Mayor Karen Bass directed Palisades fire damage control, email shows

"A day after federal prosecutors announced that the catastrophic Palisades fire was caused by the rekindling of a smaller arson fire days earlier, Los Angeles city officials were in damage control mode. The ultimate authority on how to handle the deluge of media inquiries was Mayor Karen Bass, according to an internal email reviewed by The Times. The carefully coordinated approach led by Bass also involved the release of the highly anticipated Palisades fire after-action report, hours after the prosecutors' announcement and as the Los Angeles Fire Department was facing criticism for not putting out the earlier blaze."

""Any additional interviews with the Fire Chief would likely depend on the Mayor's guidance," LAFD spokesperson Capt. Erik Scott wrote in an Oct. 9 email to a Bass aide, then-interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva and others. "Regarding a press conference, I would be cautious as it could invite a high volume of challenging questions, and this would also be contingent on the Mayor's direction.""

"In one instance, LAFD officials removed language from the "failures" section saying that the decision not to fully staff up and pre-deploy all available crews and engines ahead of a forecast of dangerously high winds "did not align" with the department's policy and procedures during red flag days. The final report said that the LAFD "balanced fiscal responsibility with proper preparation for predicted weather.""

Federal prosecutors concluded the Palisades fire began when a smaller arson blaze rekindled days later. Mayor Karen Bass assumed primary authority over media inquiries and coordinated the timing of the after-action report release shortly after the prosecutors' announcement. An internal LAFD email advised caution on additional interviews and a press conference, noting those steps would depend on mayoral guidance. Bass denied directing changes to the after-action report related to liability concerns. Revisions removed language criticizing the failure to pre-deploy crews ahead of forecasted high winds and reframed preparations as balancing fiscal responsibility with readiness.

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