Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass returned from Ghana to find the city engulfed in wildfires, with over 10,000 structures destroyed and at least 11 fatalities.
Critics condemned her delayed return during extreme fire conditions, questioning the decision to travel internationally amid warnings from the National Weather Service.
Concerns rose as the city provided only 135 hotel vouchers for the city's 75,000 homeless residents, leaving many vulnerable to wildfire smoke.
Reports surfaced suggesting that the city's fire department faced significant funding cuts, complicating responses as the fires grew beyond control.
Calls for an investigation into the city's fire response and the issues surrounding water supply and infrastructure have intensified in light of the devastation.