Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass had a tense exchange with a reporter during a press conference on Thursday over her "lack of preparation" before the city was hit with a series of devastating wildfires.
Why It Matters
A fire that began in Pacific Palisades on Tuesday morning quickly spread out of control and was soon joined by several other major fires in Los Angeles County and other parts of Southern California. By Thursday, at least five people were dead, more than 130,000 residents were forced to flee their homes and thousands of structures had been reduced to ash.
Bass, a Democrat, has faced heavy criticism for her actions preceding the fire and for a Los Angeles Fire Department budget decrease. The mayor on Wednesday returned to Los Angeles from a trip to Ghana, despite warnings about expected high winds in the area causing increased fire risks days earlier.
What To Know
During a press conference on Thursday morning, CBS News reporter Jonathan Vigliotti described witnessing the early stages of the Palisades fire without seeing "a single fire engine" in the area before pointing out that Bass was out of the country at the time and asking her "what explains" the "lack of preparation and rapid response."
"Let me just say, first and foremost, my number one focus and I think the focus of all of us here—with one voice—is that we have to protect lives, we have to save lives and we have to save homes," Bass responded. "Rest assured..."
Vigliotti interjected by saying "but that did not happen," prompting Bass to cut him off, wag her finger and continue speaking in response.
"Rest assured, let me finish!" Bass said. "When that is done, when we are safe, when lives have been saved and homes have been saved, we will absolutely do an evaluation to look at what worked, what didn't work and to correct or to hold accountable anybody... but my focus right now is on the lives and on the homes."
Vigliotti then asked Bass whether she thought her "leadership was effective while responding to this disaster."
"I just said what I believe is the most important thing for us to do right now and that is gonna continue to be my focus, thank you," the mayor responded.
Newsweek reached out for comment to Bass' office via email on Thursday.
What People Are Saying
Actor James Woods, an outspoken Republican, blaming the fires on Bass and California Governor Gavin Newsom in response to a person's suggestion that climate change played a role, on X, formerly Twitter: "It's because liberal idiots like you elect liberal idiots like Gavin Newsom and Karen Bass. One doesn't understand the first thing about fire management and the other can't fill the water reservoirs."
Pod Save America host and former Barack Obama staffer Tommy Vietor, responding to Bass returning to Los Angeles from Ghana on Wednesday, in a post to X: "Inexplicable decision to not come back earlier."
What Happens Next
Bass is continuing to work with local and federal emergency response agencies as the fires continue to rage in the Los Angeles area. According to Cal Fire, the Palisades fire was still at 0 percent containment and had burned more than 17,234 acres as of Thursday afternoon.
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