Inside the extraordinary rewrite of the Palisades Fire report — read the draft the public never saw

 The California Post has revealed significant edits made to the Palisades After-Action Fire Report, which was originally intended to provide a comprehensive account of the January 2025 wildfire in Los Angeles. This report documents the city's response to a tragic fire that resulted in the deaths of at least 31 individuals and the destruction of over 16,000 structures. The changes in the final report have raised questions about the involvement of Mayor Karen Bass and her office in altering the narrative to minimize criticism of the city's actions during the disaster.

• The original report, obtained by the California Post, was 92 pages long and contained detailed information about the fire's circumstances and the Department’s response.

• Changes were made before the report was publicly released, including the removal of references to wind conditions that significantly impacted firefighting efforts.

• The executive summary of the draft indicated that the report was prepared at the mayor’s request, a reference that was omitted in the final version.

• The initial draft acknowledged a lack of resources to deal with the fast-spreading fire, while the final report changed this to suggest that the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD) was adequately prepared.

• Specific statements regarding communication issues among firefighters, equipment availability, and the overall nature of the firefighting response were softened or altered significantly in the final report.

• Mayor Karen Bass has denied her office's involvement in editing the document and insisted that she merely reviewed initial drafts for accuracy on specific details like budgeting and weather.

The alterations to the Palisades After-Action Fire Report have sparked outrage, particularly from Freddy Escobar, president of the United Firefighters of Los Angeles City, who argues that the public deserves the truth and that it is important to learn from mistakes made by both firefighters and leadership. The controversy surrounding the report and its revisions raises serious concerns about transparency in government responses to natural disasters and the integrity of official documents meant to hold agencies accountable. 

https://nypost.com/2026/02/10/us-news/inside-the-extraordinary-rewrite-of-the-palisades-fire-report-read-the-draft-the-public-never-saw/