Former Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has started the appeal process following Mayor Karen Bass’ decision to fire her a week ago.

Her decision to appeal comes after Bass’ decision has spun up criticism from City Councilmembers and the public for what they say is "misrepresenting the facts."

Crowley announced the appeal to City Council members on Thursday.

"I choose to proceed with the Council appeal provided for in Los Angeles Charter, Article V, Section 5.08(e), due to Mayor Bass’s removal...

The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday unanimously approved a controversial plan that will increase daily dumping limits at three county landfills as crews continue to process debris from the Palisades and Eaton Fire burn zones. 

Property damage from the January wildfires in Los Angeles County, including the Eaton and Palisades fires, is estimated at between $28 billion to $53.8 billion, according to a report published Thursday.

The most intense rain to hit Southern California in over a year unleashed flooding, debris flows and mudslides that trapped cars and covered roadways, but spared areas burned in devastating wildfires from the catastrophe that was feared.

U.S. consumers put a lid on their spending to kick off 2025, potentially indicating weaker economic growth prospects.

According to Census Bureau data, retail sales tumbled by 0.9 percent in January after increasing by 0.7 percent in December 2024.

The consensus forecast suggested a 0.1 percent drop.

Last month’s decline was the sharpest drop since March 2023, and market watchers attributed the lackluster consumer spending to harsh winter weather...

U.S. retail sales dropped by the most in nearly two years in January, likely weighed down by frigid temperatures, wildfires and motor vehicle shortages, suggesting a sharp slowdown in economic growth early in the first quarter.

But the larger-than-expected and across the board decline in retail sales reported by the Commerce Department on Friday probably does not reflect a material shift in consumer spending as it also followed four straight months of hefty increases...

U.S. retail sales dropped sharply last month, in part because cold weather kept more Americans indoors, denting sales at car dealers and most other stores.

Retail sales fell 0.9% in January from the previous month, the Commerce Department said, after two months of healthy gains. It was a much bigger drop than economists expected and the biggest decline in a year.

President Trump repeated falsehoods about California’s firefighting efforts on Friday and blamed Democratic officials for a wide variety of issues affecting the response to wildfires as he toured areas of Los Angeles damaged by the disaster.

In a meeting with state leaders in Pacific Palisades, a community that was heavily damaged by fire, Mr. Trump opened his remarks in a local firehouse with praise of the firefighters he met during the tour. “Your fire department was so beautiful” and “in perfect physical shape,” he said.