By Jorge Casuso

September 8, 2025 -- A top ranking Santa Monica Fire official was not involved in immigration actions during a Washington state wildfire that captured national headlines for a week, City officials said Friday.

Instead, Deputy Fire Chief Tom Clemo, who was assigned as Incident Commander of the California Interagency Incident Management Team 7, reported fraud to federal agencies, officials said in a statement Friday.

The media reports, which were based on anonymous sources published in media outlets that oppose illegal immigration enforcement, have accused Clemo of being instrumental in the arrests of two individuals working illegally as firefighters, one of whom has an outstanding warrant.

City officials issued the statement to correct "inaccurate media reports" suggesting that Clemo "coordinated with federal immigration enforcement agents during the Bear Gulch Fire response in Washington state."

"During the team’s 14-day deployment, Deputy Chief Clemo, per incident protocol, forwarded allegations reported to him of fraudulent billing practices engaged by Oregon-based private contractors providing hand crews to support the firefighting efforts," the statement said.

"A federal criminal investigation -- led by federal law enforcement officers -- uncovered thousands of hours of falsified timecards, totaling over $250,000 in suspected theft over the course of the incident."

In addition, border patrol agents arrested two individuals who were "found to be present in the United States illegally, one with a previous order of removal," according to the Department of Homeland Security.

The initial August 27 article in the Seattle Times was based on video footage and interviews with two firefighters who "requested anonymity because they feared retaliation from federal agencies for talking to the media."

The following day, the New York Times based its report on the Seattle Times report. An August 31 report in Stateline, part of States Newsroom, a state-focused nonprofit news organization funded by liberal foundations, pointed the finger at Clemo's team.

"Immigration advocates are alarmed that the raid was potentially arranged by California Interagency Incident Management Team 7, the leaders charged with overseeing the wildfire response."

Stateline based its report, which was widely disseminated, on "nearly a dozen firefighters, agency staffers and contractors familiar with the incident," most of whom "spoke privately for fear of retaliation."

The sources, "shared their belief that the top officials assigned to the fire deployed the crews to a remote location under false pretenses so federal agents could check their immigration status.

"Many wildfire veterans believe the management team overseeing the fire crews played a key role in handing over the firefighters to immigration authorities."

Stateline added that "Team 7 Incident Commander Tom Clemo, in an email, declined to comment, citing an active investigation."

The City's statement refutes the reported chain of command: "All operations at the Bear Gulch Fire were under the jurisdiction of the National Parks Service, U.S. Forest Service, and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources.

"Deputy Chief Clemo and his team operated strictly under those agencies’ authority."

Clemo played no role in the investigation, City officials added.

"As part of that federal investigation, federal authorities engaged U.S. Customs and Border Protection -- not Deputy Chief Clemo -- to interview members of the contracted crews.

"It was through those interviews that two individuals were found to lack work documentation, and one individual was discovered to have an outstanding warrant.

"Deputy Chief Clemo’s sole responsibility in this matter was to report allegations of fraud to the appropriate federal agencies overseeing the fire.

"He had no role in the subsequent investigation, nor in any immigration-related actions. Importantly, Deputy Chief Clemo played no role in facilitating immigration enforcement efforts during the deployment," the statement read.

City Manager Oliver Chi and Fire Chief Matt Hallock issued the following statement "in response to personal attacks directed at" Clemo:

“We affirm our unwavering support for Deputy Chief Tom Clemo and condemn the personal attacks and threats against him following the Bear Gulch Fire incident.

"Deputy Chief Clemo has been a dedicated member of the Santa Monica Fire Department for nearly 14 years and is one of only 41 rostered national incident commanders in the country. He has devoted his career to firefighter safety and protecting communities threatened by wildfire.

"Attacks on his character are misdirected. Deputy Chief Clemo did exactly what was required of him: he reported suspected fraud to the proper authorities," the statement said.

"In his service to Santa Monica, the state, and the nation, Deputy Chief Clemo has demonstrated steadfast leadership, selflessness and courage. He represents our city with the utmost honor, and we are grateful for his continued service.”

The news sources that reported the immigration enforcement have yet to report on details of the workforce billing fraud, although they have reported on calls by Democratic Congressmen to investigate the arrest of the two illegal workers.

The Seattle times posted the following editor's note at the end of its report: "The comment thread on this story has been closed because too many comments violated our Code of Conduct."