Silent on arrival: LA Mayor Karen Bass refuses to answer questions for her absence as wildfires ravage city

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Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass dodges questions about raging wildfires

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass refused to answer Sky News reporter David Blevins’ questions about her initial absence as wildfires raged across her jurisdiction. (Sky News)

An expressionless Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass refused to answer reporters’ questions after being pressed on her initial absence as wildfires raged across her jurisdiction. 

“Do you owe citizens an apology for being absent while their homes were burning? And do you regret cutting the Fire Department budget by millions of dollars, Madame Mayor?” Sky News reporter David Blevins asked as Bass waited to deplane Wednesday following her trip to Ghana. 

“Have you absolutely nothing to say to the citizens today?” he added. 

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES RAGE ACROSS LOS ANGELES COUNTY, FORCING THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass listens as Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks while touring fire damage in the city Wednesday. (Mayor Karen Bass / X)

Bass refused to acknowledge the reporter, continuing to ignore questions as she looked at the ground.

“No apology to them? Do you think you should have been visiting Ghana while this was unfolding back home?” he said. 

“Madam mayor, let me ask you just again, have you anything to say to the citizens today as you return?” he said.

The Palisades Fire burns a structure in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, Wednesday.  (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

On Wednesday, during a late-afternoon news conference in Los Angeles, Bass said that she took the “fastest route back,” adding that she used a military plane for her speedy arrival.

“I took the fastest route back, which included being on a military plane, which facilitated our communications,” she said, acknowledging that she was thousands of miles away when the first wildfires broke out Tuesday. “So I was able to be on the phone the entire time of the flight.”

LOS ANGELES MAYOR SLASHED FIRE BUDGET LAST YEAR, PRIORITIZED HOMELESS POPULATION

“We are fighting for you and everyone in Los Angeles,” she said, appearing to be reading prepared remarks.

At one point during the news conference, the mayor’s notes appeared to bewilder her, and she mistakenly said: “Emergency information, resources and shelter is available. All of this can be found at URL.”

Bass’ leadership has been in the spotlight as many have blamed her for the disaster, pointing to the massive budget cuts she made to critical firefighting forces that she poured into spending on the city’s homeless population.

For the 2023-2024 fiscal year, Los Angeles budgeted $837 million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which was roughly 65% the size of the homeless budget of $1.3 billion.

From the 2023-2024 to the 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD’s budget was reduced by $17,553,814 from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423.

Vehicles and a house burn as powerful winds fueling devastating wildfires in the Los Angeles area force people to evacuate, at the Eaton Fire in Altadena, Calif., Wednesday.  (Reuters/David Swanson)

Bass’ arrival on the scene comes as wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County, leaving hundreds of thousands of residents under evacuation orders.

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Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna told Fox News that five people have been killed in the Eaton Fire, as of Wednesday afternoon.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Bass’ office for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Breck Dumas contributed to this report.

Sarah Rumpf-Whitten is a breaking news writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business. 

Story tips and ideas can be sent to sarah.rumpf@fox.com and on X: @s_rumpfwhitten.

Related Topics

• Los Angeles
• Wildfire
• US Fires
• California
• Disasters