New photos appear to show start of Eaton Fire as DOJ files lawsuits against SoCal Edison
LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- Although the investigation into the cause of the Eaton Fire is still underway, never-before-seen photos and video obtained by Eyewitness News back up the leading theory that the fire started under Southern California Edison transmission lines in the hills above Pasadena next to Altadena.
On Thursday, the U.S. Department of Justice sued SoCal Edison over the deadly Eaton and Fairview fires, seeking tens of millions of dollars in damages.
"Based on the evidence that we have and Edison's own statements in its recent SEC filings that there's no other apparent cause for the fire, we are confident and comfortable moving forward with the lawsuit at this point," said Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli during a press conference on Thursday.
The lawsuits accuse the utility of negligence in causing the destructive blazes.
January's Eaton Fire in the Altadena area and the 2022 Fairview Fire near Hemet burned tens of thousands of acres of U.S. National Forest Service lands, killed a total of 21 people, and destroyed thousands of buildings.
Prosecutors said the U.S. Forest Service incurred millions of dollars in costs to suppress the Eaton blaze. The lawsuit seeks more than $40 million in damages, which include, but are not limited to fire suppression costs, rehabilitation of burned areas, and other environmental damages.
"The Eaton Fire was heartbreaking for so many of us who live and work in the Los Angeles area," Edison spokesman Jeff Monford said in a statement. "While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, we will review this lawsuit and respond through the appropriate legal channels.
According to the Eaton lawsuit, SoCal Edison admitted that it detected a "fault" on one of its transmission lines around the time that the fire started. Prosecutors allege the utility negligently failed to properly maintain its power and transmission lines and infrastructure in the area where the Eaton fire ignited.
In a July 31 filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, SoCal Edison reported that it was "not aware of evidence pointing to another possible source of ignition," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.
The Fairview Fire broke out in September 2022 in Riverside County, killing two people and forcing the evacuations of thousands in Hemet. Federal prosecutors contend that a sagging power line owned, maintained and operated by SoCal Edison came into contact with a Frontier communications messenger cable, creating sparks that ignited vegetation below the lines in Hemet.
The fire burned nearly 14,000 acres within the San Bernardino National Forest. Forest Service roads were destroyed or damaged by the fire.
"Our thoughts are with the community affected by the Fairview Fire. We are reviewing the lawsuit and will respond through the appropriate channels," Monford's statement said. "We continue our work to reduce the likelihood of our equipment starting a wildfire. SCE is committed to wildfire mitigation through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices."
The United States is seeking to recover nearly $37 million in damages incurred by the Forest Service, including about $20 million in fire suppression costs, according to the Fairview suit.
The Red Mountain Lookout, a facility used for fire detection in the forest's remote areas was destroyed. The fire's effects have been, and will continue to be, detrimental to wildlife and habitats, including federally protected threatened and endangered species, prosecutors maintain.
In addition to the damage caused to the national forest, the Fairview fire burned 44 structures, claimed two lives, and injured three people -- including two firefighters.
The lawsuit alleges that SoCal Edison failed to properly maintain its power and transmission lines in or around the area where the Fairview blaze ignited. It also failed to ensure the minimum clearance between its power lines and the Frontier Communications messenger cable in the area where the fire ignited, prosecutors allege.
Los Angeles County sued Edison in March, also alleging the utility's equipment sparked the Eaton Fire.
That lawsuit seeks to recover costs and damages sustained from the blaze that damaged "essential community infrastructure" and "massively impacted the County's natural resources, harmed the environment and wildlife, and threatened public health," L.A. County said in a statement.
Meantime, Altadena residents looking to rebuild are lashing out at local governments, accusing officials of dragging out rebuilding efforts, leaving them displaced and ignored.
"Over 2,000 people have requested permits and only 248 have been given out," said attorney Ben Crump during a news conference. "What will become of Altadena?"
City News Service contributed to this report.
