DOJ sues utility company SoCal Edison over deadly California wildfires
The United States Department of Justice filed two lawsuits against Southern California Edison. The DOJ is accusing the electric company of negligence that led to two fatal wildfires: the Eaton Fire in early 2025 and the Fairview Fire in 2022.
“The lawsuits filed today allege a troubling pattern of negligence resulting in death, destruction and tens of millions of federal taxpayer dollars spent to clean up one utility company’s mistakes,” acting United States Attorney Bill Essayli said in a statement on Thursday.
“Hardworking Californians should not pick up the tab for Edison’s negligence,” he added.
At least 21 people died in the two fires, which also destroyed tens of thousands of residential and commercial structures and scorched large areas of national forest land.
Jeff Monford, a spokesman for Edison, said in a statement to The Los Angeles Times the company is reviewing the lawsuits “and will respond through the appropriate channels.” He added that the company is “committed to wildfire mitigation through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices.”
Faulty equipment and federal damages
According to the DOJ, the Eaton Fire “ignited from faulty power infrastructure owned, maintained and operated” by SoCal Edison. The federal government is seeking more than $40 million in damages, including fire suppression costs, environmental rehabilitation and other related expenses.
In its lawsuit over the Eaton Fire, the DOJ stated SoCal Edison admitted it noticed a “fault” on one of its transmission lines around the time the fire began in January 2025. The department alleged the company failed to properly maintain power lines and infrastructure in the ignition area.
On July 31, SoCal Edison submitted a report to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission acknowledging it was not aware of any other possible cause for the fire besides its own equipment.
Fairview Fire blamed on sparking lines
In the lawsuit concerning the Fairview Fire, the DOJ accused SoCal Edison of failing to maintain its equipment, which allegedly led to a sagging power line touching a Frontier Communications cable. Sparks from that contact reportedly ignited vegetation near Hemet, California.
The Fairview Fire burned nearly 14,000 acres in the San Bernardino National Forest and damaged service roads. The federal government is seeking approximately $37 million in damages, including about $20 million in fire suppression costs.
Los Angeles County has also filed a separate lawsuit against SoCal Edison, claiming the company’s equipment caused the Eaton Fire.
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Ella Rae Greene, Editor In Chief
