LA mayor Karen Bass ousts fire chief after public rift over wildfire response

Kristen Crowley removed after blaming city for budget cuts, while mayor claimed firefighters weren't properly deployed

Six weeks after the most destructive wildfire in city history, Los Angeles's mayor, Karen Bass, ousted the city's fire chief on Friday following a public rift over preparations for a potential fire and finger-pointing between the chief and city hall over responsibility for the devastation.

Bass said in a statement that she was removing Chief Kristin Crowley immediately.