Gov’t sues Southern California Edison over 2020 Bobcat Fire

Southern California Edison Bobcat Fire lawsuit overview: 

• Who: The federal government has filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison and its tree maintenance contractor Utility Tree Service. 
• Why: The government claims SoCal Edison and Utility Tree Service are to blame for the 2020 Bobcat Fire that burned more than 114,000 acres of land around Los Angeles County.  
• Where: Southern California.

The federal government has filed a lawsuit seeking more than $121 million from Southern California Edison over claims the electrical company and its tree maintenance contractor are to blame for a 2020 wildfire that burned more than 114,000 acres of land. 

The wildfire — dubbed the Bobcat Fire — burned more than 114,577 acres of land in Los Angeles County in September 2020, destroying 171 structures and damaging 47, while also destroying 178 vehicles.

The government argues the fire began after a tree came into contact with SoCal Edison power lines that were the responsibility of the electrical company and its tree contractor, Utility Tree Service, to maintain. 

“Defendants Southern California Edison Company and Utility Tree Service, LLC, knew about the hazard posed by the tree for months but failed to maintain it,” the Bobcat Fire lawsuit states. 

The lawsuit came one day after SoCal Edison announced it had reached a settlement with Greenwich Insurance Co. that ended their insurance coverage dispute for more than two dozen actions filed against the energy company over the Bobcat Fire, according to Law360. 

Government claims Bobcat Fire was detrimental to habitats and wildlife, including endangered species

The government argues that in the nearly three years since the blaze, the public is still unable to recreate on more than 100 miles of popular system trails and in campgrounds located within the burn area.

“The fire effects have been, and will be, detrimental to habitats and wildlife, including the federally endangered wildlife-mountain yellow-legged frog and other federally threatened fish and birds,” the Southern California Edison lawsuit states. 

The government did not specify the exact amount in damages it is asking to receive, but claims fire suppression efforts cost the feds more than $56 million and caused property and natural resource damages in excess of $65 million. 

The Bobcat Fire also cost more than $769,000 for the burned area emergency response it generated, according to the Southern California Edison lawsuit. 

In past news involving Southern California Edison, residents of California’s Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Kern and Orange counties experienced power loss right before Thanksgiving in 2020 following power outages initiated by the electrical company. 

Were you affected by the Bobcat Fire? Let us know in the comments.

The government is represented by Sarah Quist and Joseph W. Tursi of the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California. 

The Southern California Edison Bobcat Fire lawsuit is United States of America v. Southern California Edison Co., et al., Case No. 2:23-cv-07254, in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California.

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