LA mayor picks new fire chief to fill void following most destructive wildfire in city history

Audio By Carbonatix

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has picked a 30-year fire department veteran as the new fire chief months after she ousted the previous chief over handling of the most destructive wildfire in the city’s history.

Bass announced Friday she was selecting deputy chief Jaime Moore to take the reins of the Los Angeles Fire Department after a nationwide search with more than 100 candidates.

Moore will inherit a department that has faced scrutiny over its response to the Palisades Fire, which began during heavy winds Jan. 7, destroying or damaging nearly 8,000 homes, businesses and other structures and killing at least 12 people in the affluent LA neighborhood.

Bass, a first-term Democrat seeking reelection, fired then-fire chief Kristin Crowley six weeks after the blaze amid a public rift over preparations for a potential blaze and finger-pointing between the chief and City Hall over responsibility for the devastation.

Moore said he will work to implement strategic changes such as preparation for major disasters and world events, improving morale and culture, and ensuring the department has adequate staffing and resources.

“I'm proud to appoint an Angeleno to this role, and I know that he will work to improve the LAFD for everyone in this city,” Bass said.

The firefighters union quickly applauded Moore's appointment.

“Throughout his career with the LAFD, Chief Moore has shown strong leadership and a deep commitment to the department,” the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City wrote on X. “His background and experience within the ranks has demonstrated that he’s the right leader at the right time to move the LAFD forward.”

Moore currently oversees operations for the Valley Bureau, covering a northern swath of the city that includes 39 fire stations and over 980 sworn personnel, according to his fire department biography. He joined the LAFD in May 1995 and has worked in a multitude of areas within the department throughout the years. In 2018, he was promoted to assistant chief.

He was born in Delhi, Louisiana, but has spent his entire life in Southern California. His mother was an immigrant from Guadalajara, Mexico, and he was raised speaking English and Spanish.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of California, Los Angeles and a master’s degree in public administration and emergency management from California State University, Long Beach.

The appointment comes at a critical political juncture for Bass, as she positions herself for a reelection run next year after a difficult first term. City Hall has struggled with a shortage of cash and a continuing homeless crisis with the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, while continuing to rebuilt from the January fires.

Crowley, the department's first female chief, was named chief in 2022 by Bass’ predecessor at a time when the department was in turmoil over allegations of rampant harassment, hazing and discrimination. She worked for the city fire department for more than 25 years and held nearly every role, including fire marshal, engineer and battalion chief.

Fire officials, including Crowley, expressed concerns over budget cuts that left the department understaffed and fire trucks sitting idle in the maintenance yard because they didn't have mechanics to fix them. The firefighters union sharply criticized Bass’ decision, calling Crowley a “scapegoat.”

Crowley filed a legal claim against the city in August accusing Bass of an “orchestrated campaign of misinformation, defamation and retaliation” after the wildfires.

Federal investigators have determined that the Palisades Fire was ignited from a smaller fire that was set about a week earlier on New Year’s Day. A man accused of sparking the fire pleaded not guilty Thursday to federal charges. His attorney has blamed the LAFD for not fully extinguishing the initial fire, while fire officials have said such fires linger deep underground and are impossible to detect.