LOS ANGELES—After weeks of backlash over January’s wildfires, Mayor Karen Bass has struggled to gain her political footing and many residents were dissatisfied with her response to the fire emergencies, a new poll showed Tuesday.
According to a survey from the UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies, co-sponsored by the Los Angeles Times, slightly over 40 percent of registered voters in the city thought Bass did a “poor or very poor job in responding to the fires,” while another 19 percent of respondents thought her response was “excellent or good.”
A little more than 1 in 5 city residents, or about 22 percent, thought she was doing a fair job, and the remainder had no opinion.
“The mayor is focused on recovery, which right now is months ahead of expectations, and she is going to continue pushing it forward,” Zach Seidl, spokesman for Bass, said in response to the poll.
Bass’ office highlighted key milestones in the city’s recovery response, in coordination with county, state and federal agencies, including restoring power to nearly all buildings in the Palisades; lifting a “Do Not Drink” notice last week, 18 months sooner than in Northern California’s 2018 Camp Fire recovery; and the Federal Emergency Management Agency advanced debris removal efforts finishing in 28 days, months ahead of expectations.
In addition, Los Angeles is offering relief and protections to fire survivors by clearing away red tape and creating centralized Disaster Recovery Centers, as well as shoring up burn areas ahead of late winter storms, among other measures.
The Palisades fire erupted on Jan. 7, fueled by dried vegetation as a result of months of no rain and fanned by historic Santa Ana winds. Fire officials said 12 people died and thousands of structures were destroyed in the fires, leaving much of Pacific Palisades in ruins.
Residents have criticized Bass for being out of the country during the early days of the wildfires.
Mounting criticism continued over issues with fire hydrants and low water pressure in the Palisades, and an alleged lack of resources in the Fire Department.
Former Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City (UFLAC), the union representing L.A. firefighters, and L.A. City Controller Kenneth Mejia highlighted that the fire department’s operational budget was reduced by $17 million in the fiscal year 2024–25 adopted budget.
Bass and City Council members have refuted that figure, noting the LAFD received an increase of $50 million due to a new contract with UFLAC.
Last week, a recall effort was launched against Bass, largely funded by Nicole Shanahan, who is Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s former running mate. According to the recall website, the effort is also supported by some Palisades residents.
The poll also noted that city voters had a lackluster view of the City Council’s fire response with 21 percent of respondents saying it was “excellent or good.” About 19 percent of respondents said the same about the L.A. County Board of Supervisors.
Respondents had a much more negative view of Bass compared to City Council and the Board of Supervisors—with 28 percent saying the supervisors were doing a “poor or very poor job” and 27 percent saying the same of City Council.
While the Palisades fire burned on the west, the Eaton Fire burned on the east side of L.A. County. Altadena, an unincorporated area, is overseen by the Board of Supervisors, and not under the jurisdiction of the city of Los Angeles.
Bass entered office in 2022 with a large swath of support, defeating her opponent, billionaire Rick Caruso, who drastically outspent her.
While the recall effort may gain traction, it may be futile. The recall effort will require 330,000 ballot signatures to progress, which will need to be obtained within a span of four months.
With Bass up for reelection in 2026, she could face a formidable challenger. Caruso has made headlines recently with the launch of Steadfast LA, a private-sector-led recovery effort, sparking speculation about a possible mayoral run. He has yet to make an official announcement.
