Megyn Kelly blasts ‘overweight, out-of-shape’ women battling LA fires amid public outcry over response

Megyn Kelly lashed out at the three female leaders of the Los Angeles Fire Department as wildfires continue to devastate Southern California.

Kelly, a former Fox News host, specifically targeted Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, Training and Support Bureau Commander Jaime Brown and Equity and Human Resources Bureau Deputy Chief Kristine Larson amid criticism that the city was focusing too much on diversity, equity and inclusion efforts. to properly prepare the armed forces to fight the fires.

“These three women at the top are all, I mean honestly, I’m not trying to be mean, but they’re obese,” Kelly said on her podcast on Monday. ‘These are women who are overweight and out of shape.

“And the last thing I want to see when I’m in a burning building is A) a woman and B) an obese woman,” she continued.

‘Who seeks comfort [in that]? “I’m going to die, but it’s in the presence of an obese lesbian,” Kelly asked rhetorically, before laughing at the idea.

“This is ridiculous,” she said.

“I speak for all women – I believe I speak for all women in Los Angeles – when I say, we want a strong man to save us. That’s what we want,” she concludes.

‘Are we asking too much?’

She specifically targeted Fire Chief Kristin Crowley, Training and Support Bureau Commander Jaime Brown and Deputy Chief of the Equity and Human Resources Bureau Kristine Larson

Kelly’s comments were in stark contrast to comments Larson made in a now-viral 2019 video in which she insisted residents want to be saved by someone they identify with.

“It gives that person a little bit more comfort knowing that someone might understand their situation better,” Larson said.

She also appeared to blame the fire’s helpless victims for their need to be rescued, while raising concerns that female firefighters may not be strong enough to carry a man out of a burning building.

“He ended up in the wrong place if I had to carry him out of a fire,” Larson stunningly claimed.

Her comments angered many online as the deadly fires claimed the lives of at least 24 people and forced more than 200,000 residents to flee their homes.

‘Assistant Chief of the Los Angeles Fire Department #KristineLarson should NOT be in her position when a heavy man is someone she wouldn’t even consider rescuing from a fire,” a California resident posted on X.

‘She would be better off working at Walmart or McDonalds.”

Larson has been ridiculed online for emphasizing in a 2019 video that residents want to be saved by someone they identify with

Other city officials have also come under fire, namely Mayor Karen Bass, who cut the fire department’s budget in the years before the massive fires broke out.

In fact, just two months ago, the LA Fire Department had to beg the LA City Council to approve nearly $100 million to replace its entire fleet.

“Many vehicles have exceeded their expected lifespan, leading to higher maintenance costs, reduced parts availability and potential downtime,” the department wrote in its request after years of depleted funds.

The department’s budget grew steadily from $674.27 million in 2019 to $819.64 million in 2025, but suffered a significant decline this year from $837.19 million in 2024.

Fire Chief Kristin Crowley wrote in a December memo that the $17.6 million budget cut “negatively impacted the department’s ability to maintain core operations such as technology and communications infrastructure, payroll processing, training, fire prevention and community education.’

She also noted that there was a $7 million reduction in overtime.

AccuWeather estimates that damage and economic losses from the fires could be anywhere from $250 billion to $275 billion, making it the country’s costliest disaster ever.

Southern California wildfires have killed at least 24 people and displaced more than 200,000 residents

Yet a leaked memo last week revealed that Bass demanded the LAFD make an additional $49 million in cuts on top of the $17.6 million cut.

The additional cuts, requested just days before fires broke out and destroyed parts of Los Angeles, would have closed 16 fire stations and crippled the department’s ability to respond to emergencies, sources previously told DailyMail.com.

Meanwhile, greater Los Angeles County has been accused of throwing money at DEI initiatives while cutting its own firefighting budget.

Fox News reported that hundreds of thousands of dollars were spent on initiatives, including $14,010 to the Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles, $190,000 to the Homeless and HIV Needle Exchange Program and $100,000 in county funds to pay for Juneteenth celebrations.

But now AccuWeather – a company that provides data on weather and its impact – estimates that damage and economic losses from the fires could be anywhere between $250 billion and $275 billion, making it the country’s most expensive disaster on record. would be.