LA’s fire chief is at the center of a public spat with City Hall as wildfires rage

Kristin Crowley was elevated to Los Angeles fire chief in 2022 at a time of turmoil in a department consumed by complaints of rampant hazing, harassment and discrimination among its 3,400-member ranks. As a career firefighter, she was portrayed by the then-mayor as a stabilizing force.

Three years later, the mood between Crowley and City Hall has changed.

The wildfire in Pacific Palisades that has burned more than 5,000 structures to become the most destructive in city history has...