
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is under fire as public outrage surges over her handling of the city’s most destructive wildfire crisis in years. A growing petition demanding her immediate recall has soared past 86,000 signatures, with residents blaming her absence and poor leadership for worsening the disaster.
Bass was vacationing in Ghana when flames first erupted in Pacific Palisades, leaving communities devastated by the time she returned. The fires have now scorched over 54 square miles, destroyed more than 4,000 homes and forced the evacuation of more than 130,000 people. At least 11 lives have been lost in the ongoing catastrophe.
Karen Bass needs to resign for seriously cutting the fire department budget and going to Ghana instead of being in LA doing her job.
If she doesn’t resign, LA needs to do a recall vote! pic.twitter.com/OImXKVedZH— hpowders (@hpowders24805) January 11, 2025
The petition accuses Bass of abandoning the city at its most vulnerable moment, citing water shortages, mismanaged emergency resources and poor disaster planning. “Mayor Bass has been absent from the frontlines while her constituents suffer,” the petition states, demanding her resignation for failing to lead during this unprecedented crisis.
I’m hesitant to feel optimistic about left-wing Californians calling for resignations from the LA Mayor and Governor Newsom.
In NY, they got rid of Andrew Cuomo and ended up with Kathy Hochul.
In Chicago, they recalled Lori Lightfoot and elected Brandon Johnson.
If it’s up to…
— Jessica 🇺🇸 (@RealJessica05) January 12, 2025
Fueling public anger are reports that Bass cut $17.6 million from the Los Angeles Fire Department’s budget for the 2024-25 fiscal year. A leaked memo revealed plans for an additional $49 million in cuts, which would have closed 16 fire stations. Critics argue these budget decisions left the city dangerously unprepared for the wildfire emergency.
Oakland recalled our failed progressive puppet mayor and you can too LA!!!! https://t.co/R91pqu17iI
— Seneca Scott (@SenecaSpeaks21) January 11, 2025
Former Los Angeles Department of Water and Power General Manager Martin Adams admitted the city’s infrastructure is not designed to handle wildfires of this scale. Several neighborhoods have reported empty fire hydrants, leaving firefighters without the necessary resources to battle the fast-moving blazes.
Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered an investigation into the city’s wildfire response. However, many Angelenos believe the damage has already been done and insist that Bass must be held accountable for the city’s failure to protect its residents.
Residents are demanding not only Bass’s immediate resignation but also a full review of how taxpayer funds intended for disaster preparedness were allocated. They are calling for new leadership that will prioritize public safety and ensure that Los Angeles is equipped to handle future emergencies.
As fires continue to rage, the pressure on Mayor Bass grows stronger, with many Los Angeles residents convinced that her leadership failures have worsened the crisis and left the city vulnerable.