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SoCal Edison to pay $82.5 million to settle Bobcat Fire lawsuit
Firefighters watch the Bobcat Fire burning on hillsides near Monrovia Canyon Park in September 2020.
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Ringo Chiu
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AFP via Getty Images
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Topline:
Southern California Edison is set to pay the U.S. government $82.5 million to settle a 2023 lawsuit filed after the Bobcat Fire, the Department of Justice announced Friday. The Bobcat Fire burned more than 114,000 acres, mostly in the Angeles National Forest, in September 2020. The suit set out to recover the cost of environmental damage and firefighting.
Why it matters: U.S. Forest Service investigators concluded that the fire started when a tree came into contact with a power line owned by Edison and that vegetation around the power line had not been properly maintained. The fire destroyed 171 structures and caused more than $100 million in damage.
The settlement: Edison will need to pay the full $82.5 million before to July 14. The company does not have to admit fault or wrongdoing.
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Edison's response: "Our hearts are with the people who were affected by the Bobcat Fire," SoCal Edison spokesperson Diane Castro said in a statement. "We are pleased to have resolved this matter and will continue to advance wildfire mitigation measures to further enhance public safety and resiliency."
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