On March 5th, Los Angeles County filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison (SCE) and its parent company, Edison International, alleging that the company’s equipment sparked the deadly Eaton Fire, resulting in losses of hundreds of millions of dollars for the county in response and cleanup.
According to the lawsuit, the Eaton Fire began on January 7th and became the second most destructive and the fifth deadliest wildfire in California’s history.
Los Angeles County stated that the Eaton Fire burned over 14,000 acres of land, destroyed approximately 9,400 structures, and damaged hundreds more. The fire devastated the unplanned area of Altadena, destroying several county parks, a nature center, multiple trails, and other community infrastructure.
The fire claimed the lives of at least 17 people, with several firefighters injured. It also damaged local daycare centers, senior centers, nursing homes, schools, churches, a synagogue, and a mosque, forcing tens of thousands of residents to evacuate.
The plaintiffs in this case include Los Angeles County, the Los Angeles Flood Control District, and the Los Angeles County Fire Department.
The lawsuit alleges that witnesses, photos, and videos show that the fire was sparked by a transmission line from SCE in Eaton Canyon, located in the Angeles National Forest near Mount Markham and San Gabriel Peak, igniting the surrounding vegetation. The lawsuit claims that the utility company failed to de-energize its circuit during red flag warning periods to reduce the risk of wildfires.
The lawsuit states that the Eaton Fire was not caused by an act of nature or other uncontrollable events but rather by sparks produced by SCE’s high-voltage transmission lines, distribution lines, subsidiary equipment, and other electrical facilities, igniting the surrounding vegetation.
According to the statement from the Los Angeles County Counsel’s Office on March 5th, SCE notified the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) of a fault in its transmission lines at the time of the fire outbreak. On February 6th, SCE sent a letter to CPUC acknowledging photographic evidence showing potential arcing and damage on two of the idle conductor lines at the Mesa-Sylmar transmission line terminal grounding equipment.
The lawsuit points out that “Edison had a duty to properly maintain and operate its power infrastructure, including any decommissioned equipment, but failed to fulfill this duty.” The lawsuit further states that “Additionally, Edison had a responsibility to ensure the maintenance of flammable vegetation around its infrastructure and the use of public safety power shutoff measures during adverse weather conditions when maintaining power to its equipment was unsafe, but the company failed to do so.”
Los Angeles County Attorney Dawyn R. Harrison brought forward this case. Harrison stated that the lawsuit seeks compensation for the losses incurred due to destroyed infrastructure, recreational areas, parks, road damages, cleanup and restoration work, flood and mudslide protection expenses, and workers’ compensation claims.
In her statement, she said, “We are committed to seeking justice for the Altadena community and taxpayers of Los Angeles County.” The lawsuit notes that the total cost and losses incurred by the county due to the Eaton Fire and its cleanup efforts are currently unclear but estimated to amount to hundreds of millions of dollars.
SCE spokesperson Brian Leventhal informed Dajiyuan that the cause of the Eaton Fire is still under investigation, and the company will continue to uphold its commitment to transparency. He stated, “Our hearts go out to the communities affected by the wildfires in Southern California. We are reviewing the recent lawsuit filed and will respond through appropriate legal processes. Our investigation is still in its early stages.”