Weather 
LOS ANGELES () — A new, confidential memo uncovered by Eyewitness News shows how the Los Angeles Fire Department tried to shield Mayor Karen Bass after the Palisades Fire last year.
It appeared the department was concerned about potential harm to its reputation and the mayor’s reputation over the handling of the deadly wildfire.
We now have even more records showing that there was concern at LAFD about how the Palisades after-action report could damage the reputation of both the mayor and the fire department.
A memo from last year — obtained by the 7 On Your Side Investigates team through a public records request — outlines how LAFD was planning to handle the media in anticipation of the release of the after-action report.
The “strategic response plan” shows LAFD working with public relations consultants to mitigate concern about how the Palisades Fire after-action report could impact the reputation of the mayor and the fire department.
“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 (after-action report) through a comprehensive strategy that includes risk assessment, proactive and reactive communications, and crisis response,” the memo reads.
The memo goes on to detail how the department wanted to have pre-release meetings with the LAFD Fire Commission and certain council members to “minimize tough Q and A” and to “secure alliance ahead of the City Council public meeting.”
Last week, 7 On Your Side Investigates reported on a separate email in which an LAFD spokesperson referred to the mayor’s “guidance” and “direction” on whether the then-fire chief should do any more interviews or hold a press conference on the after-action report.
SEE ALSO: Email refers to Mayor Bass’s ‘guidance’ of messaging about Palisades Fire after-action report
Questions continue to swirl about just how much control Mayor Karen Bass had over the LAFD’s messaging regarding the Palisades and Lachman fires.
This all comes after the Los Angeles Times broke the story that the after-action report was watered down.
In a statement, the mayor’s office said:
“It’s important to note that the Fire Department hired this consultant, not the Mayor’s Office, and consultants write all sorts of memos promising to save the world. LAFD incorporated this consultant into its team, so of course and appropriately the Mayor’s Office engaged with that team.
Mayor Bass removed the previous fire chief over the chief’s refusal to do an after action report and for failure to pre-deploy. The notion that the Mayor then took a U-turn and ‘watered down’ a report that justified her removal of the chief and her public criticisms of pre-deployment failures is just bonkers.”
Eyewitness News also reached out to LAFD for comment, but has yet to hear back.
© 2026 Television,
