"The year was already a debacle for the Los Angeles Fire Department and Mayor Karen Bass, with multiple stumbles before and after the epic January blaze that obliterated Pacific Palisades, so it was hard to imagine that things could get worse in the closing days of 2025. But they have. A blistering Times investigation found that the Fire Department cleaned up its after-action report, downplaying missteps."
"In the latest bombshell dropped by the two reporters, they dug up seven drafts of the department's self-analysis, or after-action report, and found that it had been altered multiple times to soften damning conclusions. Language saying LAFD did not fully pre-deploy all crews and engines, despite the forecast of extreme conditions, was removed. Language saying some crews waited more than an hour for their assignments during the fire was removed. A section on "failures" became a section on "primary challenges.""
Multiple drafts of the Los Angeles Fire Department after-action report were uncovered showing repeated edits that softened critical findings. Specific language stating that crews and engines were not fully pre-deployed despite extreme forecasts was removed. Statements that some crews waited more than an hour for assignments were deleted and a section labeled "failures" was changed to "primary challenges." A reference to a violation of national guidelines on preventing firefighter injury and death was removed. Mayor Karen Bass's representatives requested removal of her late interview admission that "both sides botched it," saying she thought the interview had ended. These developments are likely to influence the upcoming mayoral election.
Read at Los Angeles Times
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