PG&E recently admitted that California’s deadly Camp Fire started probably as a result of the electrical company’s equipment.

The Camp Fire was the deadliest wildfire in California state history, taking the record from the state’s Cloquet Fire of 1918.

The Camp Fire started on Nov. 8, 2018, and was fully contained by Nov. 25, 2018. The fire burned through 153,336 acres, destroyed 18,804 buildings, and killed 85 civilians. Total damage caused by the fire was $16.5 billion.

Last month, almost four months after the deadly Camp Fire, Pacific Gas & Electric Co. acknowledged that their equipment likely started the fire. The official investigation into the deadly fire is still ongoing, but PG&E recently said that “the company believes it is probable that its equipment will be determined to be an ignition point of the 2018 Camp Fire”, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Losses from the Camp Fire prompted PG&E to file bankruptcy, but dozens of Californians still seek to hold the company liable for causing the deadly wildfire. Numerous lawsuits have been filed against the company by individuals seeking compensation for killed loved ones, disappeared pets, and widespread property loss. Plaintiffs in lawsuits against the company claim that the Camp Fire started due to PG&E’s lack of care and failure to maintain their equipment.

A California attorney representing over 1,000 victims responded to the Los Angeles Times after PG&E’s statement, saying “It’s about time they’ve come to the table and admitted what everyone has known for a long time.”

He said that the Camp Fire is “one more example of profits over safety. Something has to be done to either break up PG&E and/or put a public utilities commission in place that is truly going to protect the public. So many people have innocently died because of the lack of safety precautions taken by this utility. It goes back years.”

Although PG&E’s action may have started the deadly Camp Fire, unfavorable conditions took the wildfire from a small blaze to a massive, deadly force.

In August 2018, scientists told the Los Angeles Times that rising temperatures could contribute to more wildfires in the Sierra Nevada and southern Cascade mountain ranges. When temperatures increase, these cooler and moister areas of the state may dry out more quickly in the summer. This could result in conditions that make wildfires more likely. UC Merced professor Anthony Westerling told the news outlet that the forest area burned every year could double by 2100.

Unfortunately, this means more property damage for California homeowners to contend with. Whenever a massive wildfire like the Camp Fire destroys homes, residents are forced to relocate and decide whether or not to rebuild their homes.

In addition to destroying homes, wildfires can wreak havoc on property values. Fires can destroy mature trees that provide boosts in property value, but insurance companies usually do not cover all of the tree damage. Wildfires may also result in the reevaluation of fire risks, which can result in increased premiums for homeowners who are reevaluated to live in high-risk areas.