City statement on Bear Gulch Fire: Deputy Fire Chief Clemo reported fraud to federal agencies, was not involved in immigration actions

September 5, 2025 3:49 PM

National Parks Service and Washington state agencies coordinated with federal immigration authorities

SANTA MONICA, Calif. (Sept. 5, 2025)- The city of Santa Monica issued a statement Friday correcting recent inaccurate media reports suggesting that Deputy Fire Chief Tom Clemo coordinated with federal immigration enforcement agents during the Bear Gulch Fire response in Washington state.

In late August, Deputy Chief Clemo was assigned as Incident Commander of the California Interagency Incident Management Team 7 to assist with firefighting efforts in the Olympic National Forest. All operations at the Bear Gulch Fire were under the jurisdiction of the National Parks Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources. Deputy Chief Clemo and his team operated strictly under those agencies' authority.

During the team's 14-day deployment, Deputy Chief Clemo, per incident protocol, forwarded allegations reported to him of fraudulent billing practices engaged by Oregon-based private contractors providing hand crews to support the firefighting efforts. A federal criminal investigation - led by federal law enforcement officers - uncovered thousands of hours of falsified timecards, totaling over $250,000 in suspected theft over the course of the incident.

As part of that federal investigation, federal authorities engaged U.S. Customs and Border Protection - not Deputy Chief Clemo - to interview members of the contracted crews. It was through those interviews that two individuals were found to lack work documentation, and one individual was discovered to have an outstanding warrant.

Deputy Chief Clemo's sole responsibility in this matter was to report allegations of fraud to the appropriate federal agencies overseeing the fire. He had no role in the subsequent investigation, nor in any immigration-related actions. Importantly, Deputy Chief Clemo played no role in facilitating immigration enforcement efforts during the deployment.

In response to personal attacks directed at Deputy Chief Clemo, Santa Monica City Manager Oliver Chi and Fire Chief Matt Hallock issued the following statement:

"We affirm our unwavering support for Deputy Chief Tom Clemo and condemn the personal attacks and threats against him following the Bear Gulch Fire incident. Deputy Chief Clemo has been a dedicated member of the Santa Monica Fire Department for nearly 14 years and is one of only 41 rostered national incident commanders in the country. He has devoted his career to firefighter safety and protecting communities threatened by wildfire.

Attacks on his character are misdirected. Deputy Chief Clemo did exactly what was required of him: he reported suspected fraud to the proper authorities. He was not involved in any immigration enforcement activities. Any concerns about federal actions at the incident should be directed to U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

In his service to Santa Monica, the state, and the nation, Deputy Chief Clemo has demonstrated steadfast leadership, selflessness and courage. He represents our city with the utmost honor, and we are grateful for his continued service."

Media Contact

Lauren Howland Communications and public information manager [email protected]