LA Mayor Karen Bass' Deleted Text Messages on Palisades Fire Released

Palisades Fire Text Messages

• 📌 Karen Bass' text messages from the early days of the Palisades Fire have been released after her office initially stated they were deleted.
• 🔍 The messages provide insight into what the LA Mayor was hearing from city officials as the wildfire spread.

Communications During the Fire

• ✈️ While in Ghana and later on a plane back, Mayor Bass received messages from the White House, US senators, other mayors, and her staff.
• 🚨 Early texts from her deputy chief of staff detailed the fire's rapid spread, potential evacuations, and resource deployment.
• ⚠️ A county supervisor reached out to offer additional help, to which the Mayor responded that she believed they were "good."

Escalation and Impact

• 🚒 By 8:00 p.m. PST, texts indicated an expanding evacuation zone and that all aircraft were grounded due to wind and visibility.
• 🔥 Later texts described the fire as being in "life-saving mode," with structures as a secondary concern, and an unofficial estimate of 200 homes burned.

Water Resources

• 💧 The first mention of water resources for the fire appeared on the morning of January 8th, with the CEO of the LWP apologizing for missing the Mayor's call.
• 🚒 The LWP confirmed they opened refill stations for fire engines and sent water trucks to aid in combating the fire.