No, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass didn't oust fire chief | Fact check
The claim: Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fired fire chief
A Jan. 10 Facebook post (direct link, archive link) includes a screenshot of a Daily Mail headline and claims Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass fired a city official amid the wildfires devastating the city.
“Los Angeles DEI Fire Chief, Kristin Crowley has just been fired,” reads the caption on the post. “The Mayor trying to hide the Truth.”
Other versions of the claim spread on Facebook and X.
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Our rating: False
Spokespeople for both the mayor's office and the Los Angeles Fire Department said the claim was false. Both Bass and Crowley appeared at a press briefing together after the claim was made. The Daily Mail later corrected its story to note Crowley had not been fired.
Crowley in 'full command' of department, spokesperson says
The claim came days after wildfires broke out in Los Angeles, leading to the deaths of at least 27 people and the loss of thousands of homes, businesses, schools and other structures.
Crowley described her department as being underfunded and understaffed to respond to the magnitude of the blazes in the days since they started, as reported by the Los Angeles Times.
But Crowley wasn’t fired and remained in her post as of Jan. 21.
Zach Seidl, a spokesperson for Bass’ office, told Paste BN the claim is false.
That was echoed by the Los Angeles Fire Department.
“It is important to note that the fire chief was not dismissed and is in full command of the #LAFD,” department spokesperson Capt. Erik Scott said in a Jan. 11 X post.
Fact check: No, these houses are not the sole survivors of LA wildfire
The post noted Bass and Crowley met the previous day and added that their “foremost priorities continue to be fighting the current wildfires and safeguarding Angelenos.”
The Daily Mail updated its story to say Crowley hadn’t been fired.
Bass and Crowley also appeared at a press briefing together on Jan. 11, further contradicting the online claim.
Paste BN has debunked an array of claims related to the wildfires, including false assertions that an image showed a home that survived the fires, that a video showed a plane crashing while fighting the fires and that Taylor Swift said the wildfires were “God’s punishment” for U.S. aid to Israel.
Paste BN reached out to the user who shared the post for comment but did not immediately receive a response.
Our fact-check sources
- Zach Seidl, Jan. 17, Email exchange with Paste BN
- Erik Scott, Jan. 11, X post
- Forbes via YouTube, Jan. 11, Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass And City Officials Hold Press Briefing About Wildfire Response
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