Overview
- Kenneth D. Bass and his wife were added to the consolidated Palisades Fire master complaint in May as plaintiffs who say they lost a Malibu home and suffered smoke inhalation and emotional distress.
- Spencer Pratt, whose Pacific Palisades home burned in the Jan. 7, 2025 blaze, has publicly said he is “teaming up” with Bass’s brother and has repeatedly teased that discovery will reveal damaging details.
- Central to the lawsuits is the claim that the 117-million-gallon Santa Ynez Reservoir was out of service and empty, which plaintiffs say reduced hydrant pressure and hampered firefighting efforts.
- The City of Los Angeles and the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power deny liability and the City Attorney’s Office is defending the city and DWP as the cases move into discovery.
- The litigation will play out against an intense political backdrop because of Mayor Karen Bass’s family tie to a plaintiff and because the Jan. 2025 fire killed people and destroyed thousands of structures, making discovery outcomes consequential for accountability and future emergency planning.