L.A. quietly fires its first chief heat officer

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Marta Segura, the first chief heat officer for the city of Los Angeles, was quietly fired from her position last month, The Times has confirmed.Segura stepped into the new role in 2022 amid a marked increase in climate-fueled heat events.Her appointment by then-Mayor Eric Garcetti came with much fanfare, as it made L.A.

only the third American city to name a chief heat officer, following Phoenix and Miami.Segura also previously served as director of the city’s Climate Emergency Mobilization Office.Segura confirmed that the Bass administration let her go last month, as first reported by the Substack Climate Colored Goggles.

She said no reason was given for the decision, but declined to comment further.Segura was paid about $222,000 in 2025, according to public payroll data.

L.A.Influential As chief heat officer for the city of Los Angeles, it is Marta Segura’s job to make sure we don’t look away from the threat coming for us.Officials with the Bass administration said they are in the process of appointing a new person to the role.“Extreme heat is one of Los Angeles’ most dangerous climate hazards, and it will only become more severe without urgent action,” said spokesperson Paige Sterling.

The new chief heat officer will “advance Mayor Bass’s Climate Action Plan,” Sterling said, which includes developing the city’s heat action and resilience plan, expanding tree canopies and implementing citywide cooling strategies.“We thank Marta for her service as the City’s inaugural Chief Heat Officer.” Some local environmentalists said Segura’s departure brings more upheaval for a city already grappling with worsening climate challenges.

“Where have all the environmental leaders gone in this administration?” asked Mark Gold of the nonprofit Natural Resources Defense Council.Other recent departures include Janisse Quiñones, who resigned as the head of the ...