Palisades Fire exploded while LA Mayor Karen Bass posed for photos at a cocktail party.

The Los Angeles Times reported on Tuesday that embattled Mayor Karen Bass was once again at the center of controversy after social media photos showed her attending a cocktail party in Ghana during the Palisades Fire. Bass was part of a delegation sent by the Biden administration for the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama.

The Palisades Fire broke out just after 8:00 p.m. local time, which was 12 p.m. in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times. Bass was seen taking photos right before the fire started.

"The United States ambassador to Ghana hosted the presidential delegation on their way to the plane, while Mayor Bass was in a different room making calls from Los Angeles, according to Zach Seidl, Bass's spokesperson, as reported by the LA Times."

The US ambassador to Ghana's spokesperson informed the LA Times that Mahama hosted a reception for the American delegation prior to their departure on a military plane back to the United States.

The Santa Ana winds, which were present just days before Bass left for Ghana, led to the National Weather Service issuing a warning of "extreme fire weather conditions." The Palisades were soon engulfed in flames, prompting residents to evacuate.

The National Weather Service has kept southern California under a "particularly dangerous situation" warning as wildfires rage on. Despite new fires breaking out, firefighters have successfully contained them.

Despite fire warnings, Bass traveled abroad and faced criticism for her response upon returning. A petition calling for her resignation received over 142,000 signatures.

The petition states that water supplies are severely strained, billions of taxpayer dollars have been misallocated or left unaccounted for, and countless lives have been lost.

Accountability is being demanded by Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patricia Heaton, and Jillian Michaels from Bass, Gov. Gavin Newsom, and California state leadership.

For over a week, Los Angeles residents have been dealing with devastating wildfires. As of Wednesday morning, at least 24 people have been confirmed dead, though officials expect the death toll to increase. Furthermore, many are still missing.

Over 12,300 homes, schools, and businesses have been destroyed in the inferno, according to Cal Fire.

In 2021, Bass stated to the New York Times that she had no plans to travel abroad and would only visit D.C., Sacramento, San Francisco, and New York in relation to LA.

Bass' office has not responded to a request for comment.