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Bass sends Crowley packing
Generally, bombshell news is dumped on Friday evenings.
City Hall bucked that trend Friday morning, when Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass dismissed Fire Chief Kristin Crowley because of her handling of the devastating Palisades fire.
Both leaders have come under intense scrutiny from outsiders while also pointing fingers at each other.
My colleagues Dakota Smith, Julia Wick, David Zahniser and Tony Barboza broke down the drama and what it means for the city.
What led to Bass’ action?
Bass took that step after complaining that she had not heard from the chief until after the fire broke out, while also questioning the chief’s deployment decisions.
“We know that 1,000 firefighters that could have been on duty on the morning the fires broke out were instead sent home on Chief Crowley’s watch,” Bass said in a statement Friday.
The mayor also alleged that the chief refused to participate in an after-action report on the fires after being asked to do so by Fire Commission President Genethia Hudley Hayes, a Bass appointee.
Crowley’s action during the fire’s breakout
A Times investigation found that LAFD officials chose not to order roughly 1,000 firefighters to remain on duty for a second shift as winds were building. That order would have doubled personnel when the Palisades fire broke out the morning of Jan. 7.
Fire officials staffed just five of more than 40 engines available to aid in battling wildfires, The Times found.
Another Times investigation found that the LAFD could have sent at least 10 additional…