Did Mayor Bass Alter the LAFD Wildfire Report?

Adriana Stone 0 2 min read

Did Mayor Bass Alter the LAFD Wildfire Report?

New questions are swirling around Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass after a Los Angeles Times investigation says she ordered changes to an LAFD after-action report about last year’s deadly wildfires.

The Times, citing two sources, says Bass was worried the report could expose the city to legal liability. The paper reports she removed or softened language that linked city decisions to failures in the run-up to the fire — particularly wording about staffing and resource deployment.

Those are big claims. Bass has flatly denied them. City officials and her team say she didn’t interfere with the report.

The report also quotes a “Bass confidant” who said “the mayor didn’t tell the truth when she said she had nothing to do with changing the report.” That line has circulated widely and added fuel to the controversy.

Critics point to several angles. Some say the changes would shield the city from lawsuits. Others say editing a public safety report undermines accountability after a disaster that killed 31 people. Supporters of the mayor say the paper’s sourcing is thin and the story relies on anonymous accounts.

The fallout has been loud on social media and in local politics. KTLA posted video of Bass denying the claims. The station wrote: “L.A. Mayor Karen Bass is denying a Los Angeles Times investigation alleging she ordered changes to the city’s after-action report on last year’s catastrophic and deadly Palisades Fire. Full Story: https://t.co/qP8TBgtBzr pic.twitter.com/gK4F9ThfCW”

Businessman Rick Caruso tweeted: “Today’s @latimes report is an absolute outrage. Karen Bass actively covered up a report meant to examine the most significant disaster in Los Angeles history. When it comes to life safety matters, this is no longer a matter of making poor judgement, apologizing and moving… https://t.co/YT6qL0IIFt”

And Kevin Dalton wrote: “The Los Angeles Times confirms what we all suspected from the beginning:
Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass directed the watering down of Palisades fire after-action reports.
She should be headed to prison, not reelection.”

Reporters and watchdogs say more transparency is needed. They want to see drafts, redline changes, and a clear account of who signed off on edits. The city’s version and the paper’s sources still diverge.

There’s also political heat over Bass’ travel schedule last year. Critics noted she flew to Africa days before the fire despite forecasts and warnings about risky conditions. That trip has been raised repeatedly as context for the broader criticism.

For now, the main facts are these: the Los Angeles Times published an investigation claiming edits were made to a safety report; sources say Bass pushed for those edits; Bass denies it. The issue is likely to stay in the headlines as officials, lawyers, and residents press for answers.

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