Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass announced Friday she has fired Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, citing in part her response to last month’s devastating wildfires, among the most destructive fires in California’s history.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass dismissed the city’s fire chief following her management of the devastating wildfire that tore through the city’s Pacific Palisades neighborhood last month.Bass said she removed Los Angeles Fire Department Chief Kristin Crowley from her position after the fire department chose not to position many of its firefighting resources ahead of the life-threatening windstorm that fueled the growth of wildfires in early January.

Bass has appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva as interim fire chief. Villanueva served with the LAFD for 41 years before retiring in September 2024.