Southern California Edison is facing federal lawsuits and intense scrutiny after its equipment was determined to have caused the 2017 Creek fire. The utility is also under investigation for its potential role in the deadly Eaton fire in January. The Creek fire case took seven years to resolve, highlighting the complexities of wildfire investigations. Edison denies responsibility for both fires.
When the Creek fire exploded in the Angeles National Forest in 2017, suspicions quickly fell on electric power lines as the cause. Witnesses reported seeing a snapped line on a high-voltage transmission tower in Little Tujunga Canyon around the time the fire started, and investigators focused their attention there. “There was fire concentrated over there and sparks coming off the pylon. ... It spread each direction,” one resident told The Times.
But the investigation was complicated by the fact that LADWP officials said the fire started six minutes before they had any faults on their power line. The investigative report was released publicly in 2020, and insurance companies and fire victims suing LADWP asked Edison for data in April 2020 related to a distribution line known as the Lopez Circuit near the fire's origin.
Wildfires Southern California Edison Creek Fire Eaton Fire Utility Liability Investigations
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Edison says encampment found near area where Eaton fire started; critics doubt it sparked fireSouthern California Edison discovered signs of an encampment about 300 yards from the spot where the Eaton fire is suspected to have started.
Read more »
Video Shows Possible Arcing Near Eaton Fire Ignition Point, Fueling Lawsuits Against EdisonA newly released video appears to show blue arcing near a Southern California Edison transmission tower shortly before the start of the devastating Eaton fire. This footage, along with eyewitness accounts and a previous finding of an encampment far from the suspected ignition point, has led attorneys suing Edison to believe the fire was sparked by electrical equipment. Edison maintains that their equipment was not responsible and has yet to comment on the new video.
Read more »
Video Shows Eaton Fire May Have Started with SoCal Edison Transmission TowersSource of breaking news and analysis, insightful commentary and original reporting, curated and written specifically for the new generation of independent and conservative thinkers.
Read more »
Southern California Edison Reports Power Line Fault Amid Eaton Fire InvestigationSouthern California Edison reports a fault on a power line miles away from the Eaton Fire origin, while attorneys allege their equipment sparked the blaze. The utility company maintains that the fault caused a momentary surge, but attorneys present new video evidence. The investigation into the deadly fire's cause continues.
Read more »
Edison Reports Fault on Power Line Near Eaton Fire Origin, but Denies CauseSouthern California Edison reported a fault on a power line miles away from the Eaton Fire's origin but maintained that its equipment didn't cause the deadly blaze. The utility's filing came as a court hearing focused on claims that Edison's equipment sparked the fire, citing video showing arcing and sparking on a transmission tower. Attorneys for homeowners argue that this fault, coupled with gas station security footage, points to Edison's equipment as the ignition source.
Read more »
Edison Equipment Linked to Eaton Fire as Fault Sparks ScrutinyA surge in electrical current near Eaton Canyon power lines before the deadly Eaton fire raises questions about Southern California Edison's equipment.
Read more »