Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has closely watched the California wildfires intensify

Expressionless Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass He refused to answer journalists’ questions after being pressured during his initial absence due to forest fires in his jurisdiction.

“You have to apologize to the citizens for not coming when their houses were burning? And do you regret cutting the Fire Department budget by millions of dollars, Madam Mayor?” Sky News reporter David Blevins asked Bass waited to fly out on Wednesday after his trip to Ghana.

“Don’t you have anything to say to the citizens today?” he added.

CALIFORNIA WILDFIRES HAVE FORCED THOUSANDS TO EVACUATE IN LOS ANGELES COUNTY.

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass listens as Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks as the city is devastated by a fire Wednesday. (Mayor Karen Bass / X)

Bass refused to identify the reporter, ignoring the questions while staring at the ground.

“Don’t apologize to them? He visited Ghana On the way home?” he said.

“Mrs. Mayor, let me ask you again, do you have anything to say to the citizens upon your return today?” he said.

A building caught fire in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles on Wednesday. (AP Photo/Eugene Garcia)

During a press conference Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles, Bass said he was going “backwards the fastest,” adding that he military aircraft for his early arrival.

“I got back the fastest, including being on a military plane, which made our communication easier,” he said, admitting he was thousands of miles away when the first wildfires broke out on Tuesday. “So I could be on the phone the entire flight.”

LOS ANGELES MAYOR CUTS FIRE BUDGET LAST YEAR, PRIORITIES HOMELESS

“We’re fighting for you and everyone in Los Angeles,” he said, sounding like he was reading prepared comments.

Bass’ leadership has been in the spotlight as many have blamed him for the disaster, pointing to massive budget cuts he made to the city’s critical firefighting force and spending on the city’s homeless population.

For the fiscal year 2023-2024 Los Angeles It budgeted $837 million for the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which was about 65% of its $1.3 billion homeless budget.

From the 2023-2024 through the 2024-2025 budgets, the LAFD’s budget has been reduced.y $17,553,814 from $837,191,237 to $819,637,423.

Cars and a house are burning Wednesday in the Eaton fire in Altadena, California, as strong winds forced people to evacuate the Los Angeles area’s devastating wildfires. (Reuters/David Swanson)

Bass’ arrival on the scene comes as wildfires continue to rage in Los Angeles County and hundreds of thousands of residents are under evacuation orders.

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Los Angeles County Sheriff Robert Luna Five people died in the Eaton fire Wednesday afternoon, Fox News said.

Fox News Digital has reached out to Bass’ office for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Breck Dumas contributed to this report.