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(TJV) In a stunning revelation, documents obtained by The Los Angeles Times show that in the critical hours leading up to the devastating Palisades wildfire, the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) withheld approximately 1,000 active firefighters and dispatched only five fire trucks, despite warnings of escalating danger. This series of administrative errors ultimately contributed to the destruction of thousands of homes and buildings and has sparked outrage over leadership failures.
Staffing Failures Amid Mounting Warnings
Fire officials chose not to extend shifts for available firefighters last Tuesday as powerful winds began to build, doubling the personnel that could have been on duty, The Los Angeles Times reported. Despite having over 40 engines at their disposal, the department activated just five to address the growing threat.
According to internal records and interviews with LAFD officials and former chiefs, additional resources were not deployed until the fire had already spiraled “out of control.” Officials acknowledged their decisions only after being confronted with internal logs by The Times, which highlighted the delayed response and lack of pre-positioned resources in the vulnerable Palisades neighborhood.
Resource Mismanagement and Leadership Criticism
Fire Chief Kristin Crowley defended the department’s actions, stating, “The plan that they put together, I stand behind, because we have to manage everybody in the city.” However, critics, including former Battalion Chief Rick Crawford, have sharply criticized the response.
“The plan you’re using now for the fire you should have used before the fire,” Crawford told The Times, adding that keeping 1,000 firefighters on duty through a “limited recall” was a well-known staffing strategy. Crawford also pointed to confusion over the availability of engines, noting that operable reserve engines could have been used in place of those out of service.
“You give yourself the best chance to minimize how big the fire could get,” Crawford said. “That didn’t happen here.”
Equipment and Infrastructure Failures
Compounding the staffing crisis, firefighters battling the blaze found fire hydrants inoperative and the Santa Ynez reservoir, meant to supply water to the Palisades area, empty.
An LAFD whistleblower with four decades of experience, speaking to journalist Michael Shellenberger, blamed the disaster on “lack of leadership” and revealed that up to 100 fire engines were sidelined for repairs during the crisis.
Budget Cuts and Political Blame
Chief Crowley has deflected some responsibility for the department’s shortcomings onto Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, who approved a $17 million budget cut for the LAFD. However, critics argue that leadership within the department bears primary responsibility for the failures that allowed the wildfire to devastate the Palisades community.
This series of failures, from resource mismanagement to inadequate planning, underscores the urgent need for accountability and reform within the LAFD to prevent future disasters of this magnitude.