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THE BOTTOM LINE - The devastation caused by the recent fires in Los Angeles is truly heartbreaking. It’s been unimaginable to watch so much around me go to flames, so many friends losing their home breaks my heart!!!
The bravery and dedication of the firefighters working around the clock to protect lives and property cannot be overstated, especially under such challenging circumstances. It’s deeply troubling that a city as large and resourceful as Los Angeles faced water shortages during the initial response— not acceptable, an issue that deserves urgent attention moving forward.
One of the worst natural disasters in American history, the Los Angeles wildfires, is unfolding in California. Thousands of people have lost everything they hold dear, and now, their collective gaze is turning to the authorities responsible for the city’s management, namely Governor Gavin Newsom and Mayor Karen Bass. Could this horrific event have been avoided? Or at the very least, mitigated with better preparation?
There's a common misconception that beneath the asphalt, Los Angeles is a desert. It isn't. It's grassland, and part of the natural cycle of the grassland ecosystem is fire.
The right questions to ask are not about any one sector or company, but about what the government could have done differently and to acknowledge the challenges of climate change rather than wasting time with hateful rhetoric and bizarre claims from extreme and boring conspiracy theorists.
When a politician says “don’t politicize” a significant event like the fires that have swept Los Angeles County, it’s a good bet they are attempting to divert attention and shield themselves from the consequences of their inaction.
Such is the case with California Governor Gavin Newsom and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who seem to be blaming others.
The first responsibility of government is to preserve lives and property. By that measure, Bass failed. She also has deflected questions about budget cuts to the Los Angeles Fire Department.
Bass traveled to Ghana to attend the inauguration of Ghana's President John Dramani Mahama on Saturday. Jan 4, after the National Weather Service issued a fire watch, citing “critical fire conditions.” The following day, the watches were upgraded to warnings. Meteorologists advised that a “particularly dangerous situation” was developing.
L.A. Mayor Karen Bass has been ripped by some critics for being out of the country when the killer fires began.
Upon her return, Bass refused to answer a reporter’s questions. At a news conference she read a statement, saying Angelinos needed to stay united.
“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning?” No answer.
“Do you regret cutting the fire department budget by millions of dollars, Madame Mayor?” No answer.
Bass stared forward, then down at her feet, before pushing her way down the sky bridge and out toward her smoldering city.
Bass has also battled extraordinary dissension in her own ranks, with Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley in interviews Friday characterizing the department as understaffed and underfunded and implying that Bass had failed her. False rumors that night that Bass had fired Crowley added to the chaos and sense that Bass was not entirely in control.
In recent days, the hits have come from all sides, with her 2022 challenger, billionaire mall mogul Rick Caruso, castigating Bass in the media for her absence and handling of the fire.
Caruso, whose Palisades mall survived the conflagration with the help of private firefighters, mentioned in public statement that Bass’ “terrible” leadership had resulted in “billions of dollars in damage because she wasn’t here and didn’t know what she was doing.”
Her absence, combined with an unsteady early performance and the unprecedented attack from her fire chief, have only intensified her vulnerabilities.
Critics have also harped on Bass’ lack of visibility outside of official briefings, saying the former six-term congresswoman has appeared more like a legislator than a chief executive during a moment when residents desperately want to feel reassurance from their leader.
Now — while Bass navigates a calamity that will redefine the city — her political future also hangs in the balance.
A litany of failures by LA city officials have also since been uncovered, as fire hydrants were found without any water and electricity to power cables was left on to fuel the flames, which have so far killed five people.
In a place long circumscribed by disaster, Bass is facing a catastrophe with financial and logistical burdens that will likely dwarf the combined fallout from the 1994 Northridge earthquake and the 1992 civil unrest. She will also be responsible for a mammoth environmental cleanup effort and the challenge of housing thousands of newly homeless Angelenos in an already supercharged housing market.
What will happen to the Olympic Games, scheduled for 2028 in Los Angeles? What will happen to the political careers of Bass (petitions are circulating calling on her to resign) and Gavin Newsom’s fading presidential prospects? The LA fires may have also damaged their political future beyond repair.
(Mihran Kalaydjian has over twenty years of public affairs, government relations, legislative affairs, public policy, community relations and strategic communications experience. He is a leading member of the community and a devoted civic engagement activist for education spearheading numerous academic initiatives in local political forums)
