PACIFIC PALISADES, LOS ANGELES (KABC) — “We have no faith” in the Los Angeles City Fire Department to investigate itself. That’s the message in a scathing letter claiming to be sent from both current and former LAFD firefighters.
This comes just days after Mayor Karen Bass called on Interim Fire Chief Ronnie Villanueva to “thoroughly” investigate the Lachman Fire, which smoldered and turned into the Palisades Fire.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass requested a full investigation into LAFD’s handling of the Lachman Fire, which lead to the devastating Palisades Fire days later.
The seven-page letter was sent anonymously to Bass, some councilmembers and ABC7 On Your Side Investigates.
The letter, claiming to be written by former and present LAFD “Chief Officers and Captains,” says, “We have no faith in Chief Villanueva to conduct an accurate, comprehensive and impartial… report related to the Lachman Fire.”
On Friday, Bass asked Villanueve to investigate after the Los Angeles Times dropped a bombshell report that says a battalion chief ordered fire crews to abandon the Lachman burn scar on Jan. 2, even though the ground was still smoldering.
The new letter, claiming to be signed by “LAFD Chief Officers and Captains,” says they’re “beyond ashamed.”
The letter also references two 7 On Your Side Investigates interviews that aired last week.
We are finally hearing from those within the Los Angeles Fire Department who planned for and led the Palisades Fire fight.
One was with Palisades Fire Incident Commander Joe Everett, who says he spoke over the phone with firefighters at the Lachman scene.
“I have faith in those people. They put that fire out,” Everett told 7 On Your Side Investigates.
The second interview was with Deputy Chief Richard Fields, who led the planning for Jan. 7.
In an exclusive interview, LAFD Deputy Chief Richard Fields told 7 On Your Side Investigates the plan he helped craft for the January 7 wind event “wasn’t enough.”
Eyewitness News asked him why no extra firefighters were pre-deployed that morning directly in the Palisades.
“Today, I couldn’t give you an exact answer as to why, you know, nine months removed. I don’t have a specific answer for that. Not to say that there was not a specific reason,” Fields said.
The letter says the interviews showed a “lack of command and control,” and the letter appears to have some weight behind it.
The Mayor’s office sent Eyewitness News the following statement on Monday:
“Mayor Bass has called for a thorough investigation of the recent reporting of the Lachman Fire. That will happen under the next Fire Chief who is expected to be considered by the City Council in the coming weeks. The next Fire Chief will evaluate all options with a continued commitment to transparency and accountability.”
Bass nominated LAFD Veteran Jamie Moore to be the next chief, and the L.A. City Council should review his nomination soon.
Eyewitness News reached out to the LAFD for comment. As of now, we are still waiting to hear back.
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