‘Completely irresponsible’: Los Angelinos protest in front of Mayor Karen Bass’ home after failed fire response

Approximately 40 demonstrators rallied outside her residence, blaming Bass for inadequate leadership during the crisis.

“Mayor Bass has been completely irresponsible,” said one resident, according to the New York Post. “She left the city knowing the fire danger had risen. When emergencies start, people turn to the leader. The decision-making process was delayed, if not frozen, because Bass was in Ghana. Bass was the ultimate decision maker but she was missing,” the resident added.

Criticism against Bass began when the wildfires first broke out, as she was in Africa attending the inauguration of Ghana’s president. Then, reports surfaced that Bass had cut the fire department’s budget by more than $17 million in the city’s annual financial plan prior to the disaster. Firefighters have since reported a lack of resources to adequately combat the blazes.

“It was one of those hurricane fire situations you weren’t going to get under control but the Mayor is in charge and has to instill confidence,” a Brentwood resident told the New York Post. “When you’re overseas, when your reservoir closest to the fire is empty, and when you’ve got a whole fleet of fire trucks sitting and waiting for repairs and service because you’ve underfunded the mechanics that service the fire department, and then you have a 1-in-100 or a 1-in-1000 year fire while your back is turned, that’s not leadership.”

The wildfires have caused extensive damage across southern California. As of Saturday, the Palisades Fire was reported to be only 49 percent contained and had expanded to 23,713 acres, according to CAL Fire. The Easton Fire, another significant blaze, was 73 percent contained. Since the fires began, at least 27 people have died, and more than 5,000 structures have been destroyed.