The Absent Mayor

Even though the flames are extinguished, there is a fire still burning concerning the Pacific Palisades and Eaton catastrophes.

What is the latest reason for the heated words concerning the actions of Mayor Karen Bass? Mayor Bass had been asked by President Biden to attend the swearing in ceremony of the new Ghana President, and she agreed to go, A review of the timeline concerning the events of the fires shows that Mayor Bass was advised of the potential high wind and fire danger while she was still in Los Angeles. The opinion is that Mayor Karen Bass could have taken several proactive steps to ensure her city's safety and preparedness during the wildfires which she did not do. Here are some potential actions she could have taken, as posted by CBS News:

· “Conduct a thorough risk assessment of the wildfire risks in Los Angeles, considering the city's geography, weather patterns, and previous fire seasons.

· Enhance the city's emergency response capabilities by training and equipping the fire department and other emergency services with the necessary resources and protocols.

· Implement a city-wide evacuation plan to ensure that residents could evacuate quickly and safely during a wildfire emergency.

· Communicate openly and transparently with the public about the wildfire risks and the city's preparedness measures.

· Ensure that all city officials were informed about the potential for wildfires and that they were prepared to respond to the situation as it unfolded.”

CBS News has also posted the following timeline for reference concerning the mayor’s actions:

“January 4: Bass travels to Ghana for the inauguration of the new president.

· January 5: She lands in Ghana and receives a red flag warning for Los Angeles.

· January 6: The red flag warning escalates to a "particularly dangerous situation" in Los Angeles.

· January 7: Bass posts her first statement on social media about the fires, which is out of date.

· January 8: The Palisades Fire breaks out in Los Angeles.

· January 8: Bass returns to Los Angeles and begins coordinating with officials.

· January 8: The city faces significant damage from the wildfires, with over 70,000 people under evacuation orders.²³

One of the most unusual aspects of the fire stories has to do with Mayor Bass answering a question concerning her trip to Ghana, Nick Pope of MSN posted this:

Despite elevated wildfire risks and previously saying that she would not travel internationally as mayor, Bass ventured to Ghana at the invitation of the Biden administration in January just days before flames engulfed huge swaths of the Los Angeles area. Under heavy scrutiny, Bass subsequently stated that the circumstances that led to her going on the junket should be investigated, but her office did not respond to multiple requests for comment about any progress that may have been made in the weeks.” For the life of me I do not know what type of investigation she is talking about.

On a side note, the vultures have already begun to circle concerning the burned-out property in Pacific Palisades. The following information was obtained from realator.com concerning the inflated prices for fire damaged property:

Dozens of scorched properties that were destroyed in the Palisades and Eaton fires have been put on the market in recent days—with listing prices of up to $3.25 million each. A razed home in Pacific Palisades, which was listed for $999,000 days after the fires broke out, has now sold for just under $1.2 million—becoming the first fire-ravaged property to find a buyer in the wake of the January blazes.

I believe further questions need to be answered concerning the speed and intensity the fires and the fact the Utility companies are still removing these meters and developing a series of hoops for insurance companies to jump through to be able to examine them.

Respectfully Submitted,

Norman Lambe