A newly uncovered confidential memo obtained by Eyewitness News reveals that the Los Angeles Fire Department crafted a strategic plan aimed at protecting both the department and Karen Bass from reputational fallout following last year’s deadly Palisades Fire.
The memo, secured by the ABC7 On Your Side Investigates team through a public records request, outlines how LAFD prepared for the public release of its after-action report (AARR) on the wildfire. Internal communications suggest department leaders were concerned the report’s findings could damage public perception of both City Hall and the fire agency.
According to the document, LAFD worked with public relations consultants to develop a “strategic response plan” ahead of the report’s release. The memo states, “It’s our goal to prepare and protect Mayor Bass, the City, and the LAFD from reputational harm associated with the upcoming public release of its AARR through a comprehensive strategy that includes risk assessment, proactive and reactive communications, and crisis response.”
The plan also detailed efforts to shape the rollout of the report, including holding pre-release meetings with the LAFD Fire Commission and select City Council members. The goal, the memo noted, was to “minimize tough Q and A” and to “secure alliance ahead of the City Council public meeting.”
The revelations come on the heels of a separate report by ABC7 highlighting an internal email in which an LAFD spokesperson referenced the mayor’s “guidance” and “direction” regarding whether the then-fire chief should conduct additional interviews or hold a press conference about the after-action findings.
The controversy intensified after the Los Angeles Times reported that the after-action report had been watered down before its public release.
In response, the mayor’s office pushed back strongly. In a statement, officials said the Fire Department—not the Mayor’s Office—hired the consultant who authored the memo. The statement added that consultants routinely produce sweeping recommendations and that coordination between LAFD and the mayor’s team was appropriate.
The mayor’s office also rejected claims that the report was softened, calling the notion “just bonkers,” and pointed to Mayor Bass’s prior decision to remove the former fire chief over his refusal to complete an after-action report and alleged failures in pre-deployment during the wildfire.
