Los Angeles Fire Department officials tried to run damage control for Mayor Karen Bass before releasing findings on how the city handled the devastating Palisades fire, according to a bombshell report.

An unsigned, confidential memo flagrantly admits fire officials’ goal before releasing an October after-action report on the blaze was to protect Bass and others from a backlash, the Los Angeles Times first reported.

“It’s our goal to prepare and protect Mayor Bass, the City, and the LAFD from reputational harm associated with the upcoming public release of its AARR, through a comprehensive strategy that includes risk assessment, proactive and reactive communications, and crisis response,” the memo states, according to the Times.

In all, the 13-page document, obtained by the Times, is shared among Bass staffers, LAFD officials and representatives for the public relations firm hired to help manage the messaging about the fire.

Titled “LAFD AARR: Strategic Response Plan,” the memo’s goal was reportedly aimed at helping to shape media coverage about the fire and to “minimize tough Q&A.”

The memo adds fuel to a growing conflagration over Bass’ alleged heavy-handed media response after the fire. For her part, Bass has remained adamant — claiming she did not adjust the report in her favor.

Bass subsequently was accused of orchestrating the LAFD’s response to public questions about the fire.

The California Post revealed the damning after-action review was significantly modified from the draft to the final public report.

In the 72-page report obtained by The Post, several edits were visible.

One of the biggest changes came during the executive summary of the draft. It states the report was prepared at the behest of the mayor’s office. That reference is removed entirely from the final document.

One of the most dramatic edits involves language acknowledging insufficient resources to “suppress a wind-driven vegetation fire,” with the department attempting to be “fiscally responsible by not fully augmenting and pre-deploying all available resources in preparation for a rare wind event.”

In contrast, the final report claims the LAFD ”balanced fiscal responsibility with proper preparation by following its pre-deployment matrix.”

Another entry in the draft reads, “If the Department had adequately augmented all available resources as done in years past in preparation for the weather event, there would have been a recall of members for all available positions.”

In the final version, the entry is softened and blame passed onto firefighters.

“The initial response dispatched to the Palisades incident lacked the appropriate resources for the weather conditions typically associated with red flag conditions the department would normally respond with,” the version released to the public states.

Bass subsequently was accused of orchestrating the LAFD’s response to public questions about the fire.

The Post reached out to Bass’ office for comment about the memo but did not get a response.