LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA — The brother of Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass has joined a lawsuit seeking damages from the city and other government entities over the devastating 2025 Palisades Fire, one of the deadliest and most destructive wildfires in Southern California history.
According to court filings reviewed by local media outlets, Kenneth Bass and his wife, Cindy, filed a claim in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging they suffered smoke inhalation injuries, emotional distress, and the loss of their Malibu home during the January 2025 wildfire. Their lawsuit is one of thousands of claims filed by residents and business owners seeking compensation for damages caused by the fire.
The Palisades Fire burned more than 23,000 acres, destroyed over 6,800 structures, and resulted in 12 deaths. The blaze spread rapidly from the Temescal Canyon area into Pacific Palisades, Malibu, and surrounding communities.
The broader lawsuit alleges that a series of failures by multiple public agencies contributed to the scale of the disaster. Defendants include the City of Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP), the State of California, and California State Parks. Plaintiffs claim inadequate fire preparedness, infrastructure failures, and emergency response shortcomings worsened the impact of the fire.
The lawsuit also accuses government agencies of attempting to minimize responsibility through public statements issued after the disaster. City officials have denied wrongdoing and continue to defend the agencies involved.
A spokesperson for Mayor Bass emphasized that her brother’s claim is only one of thousands included in the litigation and noted that the City Attorney’s Office is handling the defense of the city and LADWP.
The fire remains the subject of multiple legal proceedings. The City of Malibu has also filed suit seeking reimbursement for emergency response costs, while a federal arson trial involving the man accused of starting the fire began earlier this week.
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