Los Angeles County is suing Southern California Edison over the Eaton Fire, which killed 17 people in January.
The cause of the blaze that was one of California’s most destructive wildfires on record remains under investigation, but LA County alleges in a lawsuit there’s “clear evidence” from images and witness statements that SCE’s equipment was responsible for it.
It’s one of several lawsuits the utility faces over the Eaton Fire. The cities of Pasadena and Sierra Madre also announced suits against SCE.
The wildfire that was one of several to erupt on Jan. 7 during dry, windy conditions destroyed 9,414 properties and damaged 1,074 others as it burned for 24 days over 14,021 acres in the Altadena and Pasadena, Calif., areas, injuring nine firefighters, per Cal Fire.
LA County said in a statement it filed the lawsuit to “recover costs and damages sustained” from the blaze, which it’s estimated “will total at least hundreds of millions of dollars.”
The lawsuit alleges that the Eaton Fire has “massively impacted the County’s natural resources, harmed the environment and wildlife, and threatened public health,” the statement added.
“Our hearts are with the communities affected by the wildfires in Southern California,” said Brian Leventhal, a spokesperson for SCE.
“We are reviewing the lawsuits that were recently filed and we’ll address them through the appropriate legal process.”
