The former Los Angeles fire chief is suing Mayor Karen Bass for defamation related to the devastating Palisades Fire.

Kristin Crowley was removed from her position on Feb. 21, 2025, weeks after the blaze began. The fire, which hit the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles and nearby communities such as Malibu, burned 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,833 structures and killed 12 people.

In the lawsuit, Crowley claims Bass made and continues to make false statements about her and has damaged her reputation. Bass demoted Crowley but did not fire her from the department, where Crowley continues to work as an assistant chief in the Valley Bureau.

“Former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley filed a new stand-alone lawsuit against Karen Bass individually based on Bass’s alleged defamatory statements made in her personal capacity to benefit herself in her mayoral campaign,” attorneys Genie Harrison and Mia Munro said, answering The Center Square’s questions by email. “Chief Crowley remains steadfast in her commitment to the truth and looks forward to a jury trial through which the citizens of Los Angeles will sit in judgment of Bass’s conduct.”

The Mayor’s Office has called the lawsuit meritless in statements sent to The Center Square Wednesday and others.

Maryam Zar, who lives in Los Angeles, called the lawsuit absurd and noted, “Mayor Bass dismissed the Chief because at least 1,000 firefighters had been excused on a high-wind day that was under a Red Flag Warning.”

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