L.A. Mayor Calls for Examination Following Reports of LAFD Missteps in Palisades Fire
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has called for an investigation into the Los Angeles Fire Department’s (LAFD) handling of the January 1st Lachman fire, which rekindled on January 7th and ultimately became the palisades fire. The call for review comes after newly surfaced text messages from firefighters raise questions about decisions made during the initial response.
The text messages, recently reported by the Los Angeles Times, reveal concerns among firefighters that the Jan. 1 fire was left inadequately extinguished. One firefighter wrote that the area was known to “fire if left unprotected,” and added, “And the rest is history.” Another firefighter reported being told that tree stumps were still hot when the crew departed. A third firefighter stated that crew members expressed concerns about being ordered to leave, but followed orders, and immediately recognized the Jan. 7 fire as a rekindle of the earlier blaze.
The LAFD has previously stated that officials took all necessary steps to fully extinguish the Lachman fire, but has not provided dispatch records detailing all firefighting and mop-up activity prior to the January 7th rekindle. Battalion Chief Mario Garcia,who was on duty during the initial departure,has not responded to requests for comment.
Former Los Angeles Unified schools superintendent Austin Beutner criticized the decision to order firefighters to leave despite their objections.”Commanding the fire crew on duty to leave something where they raised objections? To me, that’s not responsible,” he said. He further questioned accountability, stating, “Ultimately, where does the buck stop for this? … I’d like to hear from the mayor. How she’s accountable. What has she learned?”
The firefighters’ accounts are supported by a video recorded by a hiker near Skull Rock Trailhead on January 2nd, approximately 36 hours after the fire began, showing visible smoke rising from the area. The hiker is heard saying, “It’s still smoldering.”
E. Randol Schoenberg, a Malibu resident who lost his home in a previous fire, believes the LAFD’s internal review is insufficient. He argues the most critical period for scrutiny is the time between January 1st and January 7th. “There’s nothing in the after-action report that would stop this from happening again - nothing,” Schoenberg said, noting the report focused on evacuation and communication issues, not the initial containment. “The one thing they could have done is sit on the Jan. 1 fire, and make sure it didn’t rekindle … It wouldn’t have cost them anything and all 6,000 houses would have been saved.”
Palisades resident Peter Viles expressed frustration with the LAFD’s handling of the situation, calling it “beyond disappointing” and indicative of a lack of urgency in fire prevention. ”It’s even more frustrating that they still haven’t given a straightforward account of how they allowed that small fire to stay alive for a week,” he said.
LAFD Chief Kristin Villanueva, in a previous interview, stated that firefighters remained at the Lachman fire for over 36 hours, employing “cold-trailing” techniques – feeling for heat with their hands, digging out hot spots, and creating a firebreak. she also stated firefighters returned on January 3rd for further cold-trailing following a smoke report, though the LAFD has not provided dispatch records to verify these actions.
Times staff writer David Zahniser contributed to this report.
