Cal Fire officials are investigating whether a Southern California Edison power line could have started the recent Maria Fire, which burned nearly 10,000 acres.

The Maria Fire reportedly started the night of Oct. 31, about 13 minutes after the power company re-energized a 16,000-volt power line that it had turned off earlier in the day because of dangerously fierce winds, the company told regulators.

Located in Ventura County, the Maria Fire destroyed four structures, but firefighters had it 90 percent contained by Nov. 4, four days later.

Approximately 11,000 residents were evacuated due to the Maria Fire, and the Ventura County Office of Education planned to keep some schools closed an extra day to remove ash that had accumulated in school facilities.

Dry chaparral and grassy areas provided fuel to the fire, which was not started in forest land.

California residents experienced a stressful October because of several wildfires that threatened populated areas. Complicating matters, utility companies instituted extensive power shutdowns to prevent vulnerable electrical wires from sparking fires during heavy winds.

Northern California residents saw 78,000 acres of their coveted wine country turn to ashes as the Kincade Fire roared out of control for nearly two weeks. Started the evening of Oct. 23, the fire is still under investigation, but Pacific Gas & Electric informed regulators that one of their transmission towers broke just before the fire ignited.

More than 180,000 residents were evacuated and 374 buildings were destroyed in the Kincade Fire.

California’s utility providers have been blamed for fires that have cost lives and billions of dollars over the last few years. Several lawsuits are beginning to make their way through the courts as residents try to put their lives and their homes back together.

Southern California Edison Fights Liability

According to a recent Bloomberg article, Southern California Edison’s parent company Edison International is trying to convince a state court judge that it needs to increase customer rates to pay for wildfire damage.

The company was found responsible for the Woolsey Fire of 2018 that did nearly $4 billion in damage, according to CoreLogic Inc.’s estimations. Celebrities including Miley Cyrus, Gerard Butler and Neil Young were among those who lost their homes in the Woolsey Fire.

The state of California enforces an inverse condemnation doctrine, which means utilities can be held fully responsible for the destruction caused by their equipment even if they the company was not found negligent.

According to the Bloomberg article, a 2007 wildfire promoted San Diego Gas & Electric, owned by Sempra Energy, to request the approval of a rate increase, but the California Public Utilities Commission denied the request. Sempra has fought to overturn that decision ever since, but the U.S. Supreme Court just last month said it had decided not to hear the case.

So far, the final investigative report regarding the cause of the Woolsey Fire has not been released. Even Edison and lawyers for plaintiffs who suffered losses in the fire have been provided a redacted version. Because the fire is linked to a continuing criminal investigation, the California Forestry and Fire Protection Department and the Ventura County Fire Department have battled against the release of the entire report.

However, in a recent call with investors, Edison’s CEO allegedly admitted that faulty company equipment started the Woolsey Fire.

This article is not legal advice. It is presented
for informational purposes only.