A Los Angeles resident and former US attorney for Vice President Kamala Harris said Democratic Mayor Karen Bass’ handling of the devastating wildfires that have ravaged his community borders on “criminal negligence.”
Michel Valentine, who claims it took fire crews a staggering 45 minutes to drop water after the Palisades Fire first broke out last week, said there is now “no way” he could trust the embattled pol to lead the city.
“I say it’s just wrong. A lot of people are at fault,” Valentine told NewsNation.
“I think Mayor Bass bears the ultimate responsibility for this failure, and I think she should be held accountable. There’s no way that I could trust her again as my mayor in light of this tragedy, there’s no way.”
The former attorney also managed to film the moment the now-deadly blaze first started ravaging the area.
Valentine and his wife started recording the fast-moving flames and “intense plume of smoke” billowing near their home in the Pacific Palisades enclave just after they called 911 at about 10:30 a.m. last Tuesday.
The harrowing footage, obtained by NewsNation’s “Elizabeth Vargas Reports,” shows the blaze more than doubling in size by the time a chopper appeared overhead to start dousing the flames.
“It could have been confined,” Valentine said of the blaze that is still ravaging the area more than a week later.
“It wouldn’t have touched any of the homes,” he continued, adding he had “no idea” what prompted the delay in response time.
“You’re talking to somebody that’s been up in this community for 40 years, and I’ve seen fires. I’ve seen fires during those 40 years, and there’s always been a good response. I don’t know what happened this time.”
Stay up to date with the NYP’s coverage of the terrifying LA-area fires
LA Fire Department officials have previously blamed their firefighting response, in part, on budget cuts after it emerged Bass had slashed $17.6 million from the department ahead of the devastating fires.
Crews fighting the Palisades Fire also reported early on that they had initially struggled to fight flames after local hydrants ran dry due to low water pressure.
Valentine, however, hit back at suggestions that no amount of water could have helped fight the flames.
“If there was a prompt response, and if there was a lot of water, [even] adequate water could’ve done it,” he told the outlet.
“If the fire drops just kept coming consistently, this fire could’ve been confined. Sure, it would’ve continued a bit, but that was all wilderness out there. It wouldn’t have touched any of the homes.”
The Palisades Fire, which has already killed at least eight people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses along the coast, was only 18% contained as of late Tuesday.
