Mayor Bass Issues Statement Following Release of LAFD’s After-Action Review Report

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LOS ANGELES - Mayor Karen Bass today issued the following statement after the release of the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) After-Action Review Report on the Palisades Fire, which details the Department's response to one of the worst natural disasters in the city's history. Mayor Bass also announced steps LAFD has taken since January and will take to improve operations.

"The Palisades Fire was one of the worst natural disasters in our city's history. It is vital we learn from what was effective, like the relentless heroism of firefighters responding to the blaze, and the challenges we faced in order to build a stronger emergency response system to prepare for whatever may come our way. LAFD has already implemented many changes since January, including changed leadership, strengthened interagency coordination, upgraded communications technology, enhanced wildfire training and evacuation drills and improved pre-deployment protocols. Thousands of families are still displaced, and every day they go without a home is a day too long. My commitment, and the commitment of the entire City, is that we will continue to do everything we can to bring Angelenos back home."

The After-Action Review Report on the Palisades Fire details the Department's response, highlighting effective actions, challenges and steps the Department has taken and will take to improve operations.

Steps Taken By the City In Line With The After Action Report:

Since January 2025, LAFD has already implemented new tools, processes and protocols to improve preparedness and response, including:

• Leadership Changes: Since January 2025, LAFD has made 19 leadership changes, including the Mayor's appointment of Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva, who brings more than 41 years of leadership and crisis management experience to the LAFD. Following the appointment, a search was initiated for a permanent chief.

• Stronger Recall Protocols: At the onset of a Red Flag Warning, the LAFD will immediately recall staff - regardless of extraneous circumstances - and staff all available apparatus.

• City Leadership Notification: The Mayor, as well as key City leadership, will be explicitly notified by the LAFD as soon as possible and kept up-to-speed at all times during the extent of any crisis.

• Clarifying Roles and Responsibilities: LAFD is committed to making sure every position in the department is unequivocally clear on its role during an emergency. That means less confusion, no wasted steps and a stronger, faster response for our city.

• Innovating and Improving Training at All Levels: Our firefighters are training harder and smarter. LAFD is upgrading weather-tracking tools, reviewing our warning sirens, and improving staff recall systems so we can alert the community faster. Every LAFD member will continue hands-on training in wildfire response, evacuation and protecting homes. LAFD will also run yearly evacuation drills based on real fire data and make sure every high-risk neighborhood has at least two safe ways out.

Based on this AARR, the LAFD is implementing additional protection procedures:

• Enhanced Evacuation Procedures: LAFD is working on new and significantly improved evacuation exercises with a new software program, Genasys Protect, which will now be used across all regions in Los Angeles County. This will help reinforce new processes, including proper and efficient civilian evacuation.

• Advancing Communications:When wildfires threaten, communication is our lifeline. That's why we're adding tools like Starlink to keep information flowing, even when traditional networks fail.

• Updating the Pre-Deployment Matrix/Model:LAFD is updating preparation processes before a fire starts. This means moving resources into position earlier, giving every officer advance access to briefings, and holding tactical meetings more often, so the Department is ready to respond the moment danger sparks.

  • Water Sourcing: LAFD iscontinuing to train all members on methods for acquiring alternative water sources outside of the traditional hydrant system, including pools.

  • Weather Tracking Technology: LAFD will utilize innovative technology to forecast weather, enabling us to predict upcoming emergency conditions and initiate preparedness procedures more effectively.

  • Community Education: LAFD is working closely with My Safe LA to ensure that all LA residents have access to critical life-saving instructions, up-to-date information, and resources to prepare and survive a wildfire.
    

Effective Actions Identified in the After Action Report:

Heroic efforts from firefighters resulted in many lives saved and communities protected from further destruction.

• Despite extreme and relentless wind conditions - reaching wind speeds from 60-90mph, and up to 100mph in some areas - firefighters were able to evacuate 30,000 residents and save two structures for every one lost.

• The Palisades wind-driven brush fire tested the resolve of every firefighter and the first responder teams. With unwavering courage and determination, teams battled treacherous conditions.

Among extraordinary weather circumstances, the LAFD responded as quickly in coordination with city and state officials.

• Despite historic winds and weather conditions that made the fire spread rapidly, the first resource was on scene in 4 minutes, and within 30 minutes of dispatch, the LAFD had requested hundreds of additional firefighters and numerous air resources. Helicopters executed water drops in steep, inaccessible terrain within 10 minutes.

• Through early mutual-aid coordination with neighboring partner agencies, LAFD ensured additional engines, helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft were deployed within one hour of the incident.

• Crews utilized alternative water sources such as pools and applied Thermo-Gel to protect structures.

Operational planning and training helped maintain control and reduce injury.

• LAFD collaborated closely with local, state and federal partners to create a cohesive and coordinated resource deployment.

• In the most critical 36 hours of the 25-day event, constant communication, safety protocols and department resiliency helped keep injuries to crews minimal.

• Air Operations maintained around-the-clock aerial supervision and briefings, including night operations, which were critical in slowing the fire's spread.

Challenges Identified by the After Action Report:

Leadership decisions, communications breakdowns, and strained staffing resources caused limitations that impacted LAFD response efforts within the first 24 hours.

• LAFD leadership decisions at the beginning of the fires caused the initial dispatch to lack a full, all-hands resource deployment.

• After 24 hours, a decision was made to deploy all available resources, including staff and apparatus, against the fast-moving fire.

• LAFD has made improvements in our protocols and equipment to mitigate these limitations.

Due to terrain features and excessive radio traffic, tactical coordination and command structure became strained.

• The scale and complexity complicated the response efforts.

• LAFD is addressing these issues through clearer coordination, enhanced training, and command staff leadership changes to better handle future emergencies.

Simultaneous fires and communication network issues hampered the immediate response.

• Response teams navigated communication issues, evacuation delays, and traffic obstructions as the Palisades Fire progressed.

• LAFD acknowledges the delays and communication issues, as well as how the breakdowns in communication impacted the initial coordination.

Click here to read the full report.