Ex-LA fire chief Crowley appeals Mayor Karen Bass' decision to fire her

Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley took the unusual step of appealing her termination to the City Council, according to an email she sent Thursday to council members.

The council is expected to consider the appeal Tuesday.

Crowley would need 10 of 15 council members to overturn Mayor Karen Bass' decision to fire her.

The backstory

Bass fired Crowley last week, citing her response to the Palisades Fire, which was the worst in L.A. history, burning more than 23,000 acres, destroying 6,837 homes and killing 12 people.

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Bass, who was criticized for being out of the country when the fire started, said Crowley failed to activate more firefighters amid forecasts of gale force winds and extremely dry brush.

The mayor also said Crowley failed to warn her about the dangerous conditions ahead of time and has allegedly refused to cooperate with the Fire Commission’s evaluation of how the department responded to the fire.

Bass spokesperson Zach Seidl issued a statement saying Crowley “has the right to appeal her dismissal.”

The former fire chief has not publicly responded to Bass’s specific allegations. In a statement issued after her firing, she said she “based her actions and decisions on taking care of our firefighters so that they could take care of our communities.”

The union that represents L.A. firefighters issued a statement Thursday in which it stressed its support for Crowley.

"Despite the manufactured reasons that have been publicly offered for her termination, the reality is Kristin Crowley was fired for telling the truth," the statement from United Firefighters of Los Angeles City reads.

It appears to reference comments Crowley made after the Paradise Fire ignited, in which she claimed the Fire Department had not been properly funded.

"Our rank-and-file firefighters on the ground strongly support Chief Crowley," the statement continues. "They know the truth, we have her back, and we will fight for her right to set the record straight."

The process

The council was expected to consider Crowley's appeal at a special meeting hastily scheduled for Friday evening at Van Nuys City Hall.

The firefighters' union said it was "outrageous" that the meeting was scheduled with only 24 hours' notice. In the Thursday statement, the union accused city leaders of trying the bury the issue by holding the meeting "when nobody is watching."

"This is an example of why the public doesn't trust City Hall and the constant missteps that we have seen our city leaders make since the fires broke out on January 7th," the statement reads. "This is not transparent, fair, or just. It's yet another public blunder coming out of City Hall that makes the people of Los Angeles continue to question the motives and trustworthiness of our city's leaders."

Council President Marqueece Harris-Dawson issued his own a statement Thursday, saying he had directed city staff to prepare for a special meeting at the earliest time possible. He later reconsidered.

"While it is in the best interest of the City to hear this matter expeditiously, it is important to allow the appellant, interested parties, and Councilmembers to be present and prepared for the meeting," the statement continues.

The council will now consider the appeal at its Tuesday meeting.

It's unclear whether Crowley will testify.

If the former chief receives a two-thirds vote of the council, she could be reinstated within 10 days.

That's likely to be an uphill battle for Crowley. Four council members stood with the mayor when she announced the former chief's firing.