Tipsheet

Nithya Raman Wants to Ban What? See Her Latest Proposed Fire Prevention Policy

Dmitri Bolt
Dmitri Bolt  |  May 15, 2026 12:00 PM

Los Angeles City Councilwoman and Democratic mayoral candidate Nithya Raman on Wednesday introduced a motion directing city officials to consider banning backyard barbecues during Red Flag Warning days, when high winds and dry conditions create extreme fire danger.

The move was immediately torched by Democrats and Republicans alike as yet another example of government incompetence, with critics slamming her for suggesting that restricting a common weekend activity could somehow make up for the lack of preparedness caused by left-wing extremist policies in the state.

“The last thing Angelenos need is a ban on hosting a carne asada in their own backyard,” Democrat councilwoman Monica Rodriguez said. 

“We’re not checking the weather for red flag conditions before planning a backyard barbecue. This is what families do. Birthday parties. Carne asadas. Family gatherings. A lot of people barbecue.”

“How about Ms. Raman focus on enforcing against the encampments that are the majority source of our fires instead of singling out residential neighborhoods and folks having backyard barbecues?” Rodriguez added.

Republican mayoral candidate Spencer Pratt, who recently leveled Raman in a mayoral debate, mocked the move on social media.

This comes as Raman has fallen from a late-April polling high, when she held roughly a 60 percent chance of winning the mayoral race, a growing concern for a candidate backed by the Democratic Socialists of America who hoped to mirror Mamdani’s style of campaigning. 

Meanwhile, Pratt’s passion and direct confrontations over the policies pushed by Mayor Bass and Councilwoman Raman have made it increasingly difficult for the left-wing candidates to maintain their momentum.