LA Mayor Karen Bass posed for photos at a cocktail party as the Palisades Fire exploded

Embattled Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass is at the center of controversy again after photos on social media showed her at a cocktail party in Ghana when the Palisades Fire exploded. Bass was in the African country as part of a delegation sent by the Biden administration to the inauguration of Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama, the Los Angeles Times reported Tuesday.

Bass appeared to pose for photos shortly before 8:00 p.m. local time, which was 12 a.m. in Los Angeles, according to the Los Angeles Times. Moments later, evacuation orders were issued for the Palisades fire.

“The presidential delegation was hosted by the United States ambassador to Ghana en route to the plane,” Bass spokesman Zach Seidl said, according to the LA Times. “The mayor was in the other room most of the time taking calls from LA.”

A spokesman for the US ambassador to Ghana told the LA Times that Mahama held a reception for the US delegation before they were due to return to the United States on a military plane.

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On Jan. 2, days before Bass traveled to Ghana, the National Weather Service warned of the potential for “extreme fire weather conditions” due to Santa Ana winds. Just days later, the Palisades was burning and residents were ordered to evacuate.

While the fires continueSouthern California remains under a “specially hazardous situation” warning from the National Weather Service. New fires broke out, but firefighters managed to contain them.

Bass faced scrutiny for traveling abroad despite fire warnings and for her reaction after returning. AND with a petition demanding her resignation collected more than 142,000 signatures at the time of this report.

“Water supplies have been severely strained, billions of taxpayer dollars have been misallocated or unaccounted for, and countless lives have been lost,” the petition said.

Celebrities including Sarah Michelle Gellar, Patricia Heaton and Jillian Michaels have called Bass, Gov. Gavin Newsom and California state leadership accountable.

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Residents of Los Angeles have been battling devastating wildfires for more than a week. As of Wednesday morning, at least 24 people have been confirmed dead, although that number is expected to rise, according to officials. In addition, dozens have disappeared.

More than 12,300 homes, schools and businesses were destroyed in the inferno, according to Cal Fire.

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In 2021, Bass told the New York Times that she was he did not plan to travel abroadsaying “the only places I would go would be DC, Sacramento, San Francisco and New York, over LA.”

Bass’ office did not respond to a request for comment.