Where is Karen Bass? LA Mayor Returns From Ghana Trip as City Burns

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has been criticized after it emerged she was out of the country, attending a presidential inauguration in Ghana, as northern and western suburbs of her city were hit by devastating wildfires fanned by high winds.

Media outlet INKL News reported this morning that Bass was on her way back to Los Angeles and should return to the city within hours.

Newsweek contacted Bass' office for comment on Wednesday via telephone and voicemail message outside of regular office hours.

Why It Matters

Three wildfires on the outskirts of Los Angles have burned more than 4,000 acres according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, with Evacuation Orders from the state agency requiring thousands of residents to leave their homes.

Bass was elected in the 2022 Los Angeles mayoral election, defeating billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso, a fellow Democrat, with 43.1 percent of the vote against 36 percent. The mayor has since been criticized over levels of street crime, raising questions about her 2026 reelection hopes.

What To Know

Bass had been in Ghana as part of a four-member U.S. presidential delegation attending the inauguration of new Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.

She has come under attack for not returning to the U.S. sooner in response to the infernos, with Caruso telling local network Fox 11 that there had been a "failure" of leadership and management adding that "everybody knew these winds were coming" so the risk should have been anticipated.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is pictured in Houston, Texas, on July 28, 2023. Bass has come under fire for being in Ghana on Tuesday while wildfires erupted to the north and west of Los... Arturo Holmes/GETTY

Caruso also questioned why brush in the hills surrounding Los Angeles hadn't been removed to reduce the fire risk and claimed a "reservoir was not refilled in time and in a timely manner to keep the hydrants going," which he blamed on city authorities.

Bass has provided a succession of updates via social media. At around 2:30 a.m. PST, on X, she wrote: "Our LAFD [Los Angeles Fire Department] and LAPDHQ [Los Angeles Police Department] teams continue to work overnight to protect Angelenos affected by fires in L.A.

"Angelenos should be advised that the windstorm is expected to worsen through the morning and to heed local warnings, stay vigilant and stay safe."

Palisades fire, the largest blaze, was estimated to have consumed 2,921 acres in the Pacific Palisades according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE) as of 3 a.m. ET on Wednesday.

Separately CAL FIRE reported the Eaton fire, on the northern outskirts of Pasadena, had burned through 1,000 acres by Wednesday morning whilst the Hurst fire raged across 100 acres near Diamond Street, Sylmar.

In response to the wildfires, California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Tuesday while President Joe Biden announced that Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) would provide financial support.

What People Are Saying

After being asked why there was a lack of water in fire hydrants by Fox 11 Caruso replied: "You're right, that's a good question...why don't you call the mayor who's out of the country and ask her?"

On X, Ashley Hayek, president of conservative leaning group America First Works, wrote: "This is INSANE. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is on a taxpayer-funded trip to Africa as part of a Biden administration presidential delegation WHILE HER CITY IS BURNING TO THE GROUND."

Independent journalist Michael Tracey posted: "Where is Los Angeles mayor Karen Bass right now? Answer: Ghana. Really."

Nick Sortor, a conservative-leaning commentator who has appeared on Tucker Carson's show, wrote: "The Mayor did ZERO prep despite the advanced warning of winds and fire risk. This is EXACTLY what happened on Maui!"

San Francisco Chronicle editorial writer Emily Hoeven commented: "Hearing a lot of frustration right now from Angelenos that Mayor Karen Bass is in Ghana while the massive #palisadesfire is burning, forcing thousands to evacuate amid a 'life-threatening' event."

What Happens Next

Bass is reportedly on her way back to Los Angeles. Authorities are warning of continued high winds around the city with the wildfires expected to continue through Wednesday.