Part 2/7:
As the fires raged, Mayor Karen Bass was in Africa, prompting backlash upon her return. Instead of confronting pressing issues head-on, she chose to ignore a barrage of tough questions from reporters that revolved around her absence during the crisis. Questions about her silence on the ongoing disaster, her budget cuts to the fire department worth millions, and the lack of preparedness in the face of dire circumstances remained unanswered.
Critics have pointedly asked whether Mayor Bass owes her constituents an apology for her absence while homes burned and lives were upended. Mayor Bass, instead of addressing the public distress, has faced allegations of incompetence, including comments from public figures like Elon Musk questioning her capability to lead during such a devastating crisis.