By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Bast Bramhall (Video Editor)
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has acknowledged that her decision to travel to Ghana days before significant wildfires broke out in Los Angeles was poorly timed in an interview with ABC 7 News in LA.
The city was under “red flag warnings” at the time, due to critical fire danger, with wind gusts between 80 to 100 miles per hour. The timing of Bass’s trip drew public scrutiny as the city faced heightened fire risks.
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“I hated the fact that I was out of the city when the city needed me the most,” Bass said during the interview. “And frankly, when my family needed me the most — because I was impacted, my family was impacted by the fires as well. It is a horrible feeling to know that it took a long time to come back because of how far away I was. It was a mistake to travel, but I will tell you that we need to evaluate everything. Because, honest and truly, if I had all of the information that I needed to have, the last thing I would have done would have been to be out of town.”
Bass stated that, while the trip was a mistake, in hindsight, she was not fully informed about the escalating fire risks at the time of her departure.
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a series of fire-related warnings in early January:
Just hours after, the Palisades Fire began, followed by the Eaton Fire, leading to significant damage.
The Palisades Fire killed 12 people, burned over 23,448 acres, destroyed 6,837 structures and damaged 1,017 more. The Eaton Fire, recorded as the second-most destructive wildfire in California history, consumed more than 14,000 acres, destroyed 9,418 structures and caused 17 deaths.
Bass returned to Los Angeles on a military flight the day after the fires began. Her absence during the critical period led to some public criticism, including a recall effort and calls for her resignation.
The mayor confirmed that internal reviews are ongoing to assess the city and fire department’s preparedness.
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The city’s recovery is now in Phase 2. Phase 1, led by the Environmental Protection Agency, focused on clearing hazardous waste. The Army Corps of Engineers is overseeing Phase 2, which involves debris removal and is expected to last through January 2026.
Approximately 1,500 truckloads of debris have been cleared daily since Monday, Feb. 17, with millions of tons expected to be removed from affected neighborhoods.
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[Karah Rucker]
LOS ANGELES MAYOR KAREN BASS IS ACKNOWLEDGING THAT HER DECISION TO TRAVEL TO AFRICA IN THE DAYS PRIOR TO THE HISTORIC WILDFIRES BREAKING OUT – WAS A “MISTAKE.”
AT THE TIME OF HER TRAVEL – THE CITY WAS UNDER “RED FLAG WARNINGS” FOR “CRITICAL FIRE DANGER” DUE TO 80 TO 100 MILE PER HOUR WIND GUSTS.
THE MAYOR RECEIVED CRITICISM OVER THE TIMING OF HER TRIP TO GHANA.
AND SHE NOW TELLS THE LOCAL ABC AFFICILIATE – SHE REGRETS THE DECISION TO GO.
Obviously, I hated the fact that I was out of the city when the city needed me the most. And frankly, when my family needed me the most — because I was impacted, my family was impacted by the fires as well. It is a horrible feeling to know that it took a long time to come back because of how far away I was.
THE MAYOR SAYS –
WHILE THE TRIP WAS A MISTAKE –
SHE BELIEVES SHE WASN’T PROVIDED THE RIGHT INFORMATION AT THE TIME – TO UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THE CONDITIONS.
It was a mistake to travel, but I will tell you that we need to evaluate everything. Because, honest and truly, if I had all of the information that I needed to have, the last thing I would have done was to be out of town.”
REMEMBER – IT WAS EARLY JANUARY WHEN HISTORIC FIRES RIPPED THROUGH LA.
ON JANUARY 2ND – A “POTENTIAL FIRE WEATHER RISK” ALERT WAS ISSUED.
ON JANUARY 3TH – THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE ISSUED ANOTHER ALERT ON “CRITICAL FIRE CONDITIONS.” – AT THE BOTTOM OF THE ALERT READS “MAJOR RISK – TAKE ACTION.”
ON JANUARY FOURTH – BASS TRAVELED TO GHANA – LANDING ON JANUARY 5TH –
THE SAME DAY THE WEATHER SERVICE INCREASED THE RISK TO A “RED FLAG WARNING.”
THE RISK CONTINUED TO INCREASE ON JANUARY 6TH –
TO WHICH BASS REPOSTED A WEATHER SERVICE ALERT – 
SAYING “There is an expected destructive and potentially life-threatening windstorm starting Tuesday morning through Wednesday afternoon. Stay safe LA!”
HOURS LATER – THE PALISADES FIRE BROKE OUT.
THEN THE EATON FIRE.
AND THE CITY – QUICKLY BURNED.
12 PEOPLE DIED IN THE PALISADES FIRE – BURNING MORE THAN 23 THOUSAND ACRES – DESTORYING 68 HUNDRED STRUCTURES.
AND IN THE STATE’S SECOND MOST DESTRUCTIVE WILDFIRE IN HISTORY –
THE EATON FIRE TORE THROUGH 12 THOUSAND ACRES – DESTROYING OVER 94 HUNDRED STRUCTURES AND KILLED 17 PEOPLE.
MAYOR BASS BOARDED A MILITARY FLIGHT BACK THE DAY THE FIRES BROKE OUT –
AND WAS BACK IN THE CITY THE FOLLOWING DAY.
THERE – SHE WAS MET CRITICISM –  A RECALL EFFORT – AND CALLS FOR HER RESIGNATION BY SOME L-A RESIDENTS.
THE MAYOR SAYS THERE ARE ONGOING INTERNAL INVESTIGATIONS OVER THE CITY AND FIRE DEPARTMENT’S PREPARATION PRIOR TO THE FIRES –
SAYING “THE LEVEL OF PREPARATION” NEEDED DIDN’T HAPPEN.
THE CITY’S RECOVERY EFFORTS – IS NOW IN PHASE 2.
PHASE ONE – WAS THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CLEARING HAZARDOUS WASTE.
PHASE TWO – DEBRIS REMOVAL BY THE ARMY CORP OF ENGINEERS – WHICH SAYS THIS COULD TAKE UP TO A YEAR TO COMPLETE.
ROUGHLY 15 HUNDRED TRUCKLOADS OF DEBRIS HAVE BEEN HAULED OUT DAILY SINCE MONDAY – WITH MILLIONS OF TONS OF DEBRIS – EXPECTED TO BE REMOVED FROM IMPACTED NEIGHBORHOODS.
THANKS FOR WATCHING OUR NEWS UPDATE.
FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS I’M KARAH RUCKER.
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