Los Angeles Fire Chief Kristin Crowley has just been fired.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has removed Kristin Crowley from her position as the city’s fire chief. This decision follows weeks of mounting tensions between the mayor and Crowley over the handling of the recent deadly wildfires in Los Angeles.

The wildfires, which ravaged parts of Los Angeles County in January, led to significant loss of life and property. Mayor Bass cited failures in leadership and preparedness as the primary reasons for Crowley’s removal. According to the mayor, 1,000 firefighters who could have been on duty during the fires were instead sent home under Crowley’s watch. Additionally, Crowley reportedly refused to conduct an after-action report on the fires, which was deemed necessary for the investigation.

The mayor’s office has appointed former Chief Deputy Ronnie Villanueva as the interim fire chief. Villanueva, a 41-year veteran of the Los Angeles Fire Department, is expected to bring stability and new leadership to the department during this critical time.