Drones, cameras and metal detectors: Edison faces new scrutiny over start of Eaton fire
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Drones, cameras and metal detectors: Edison faces new scrutiny over start of Eaton fire

LA Times  

Attorney Mikal Watts uses photo images to discuss a theory of how the Eaton fire started. Amid drones, long-distance camera lenses and metal detectors, a hillside in Eaton Canyon has become the focus of intense scrutiny over the last month by teams of private investigators now seeking clues on whether Southern California Edison equipment caused the massive fire that destroyed large swaths of Altadena. Attorneys suing Southern California Edison allege that dark markings found on Edison’s transmission tower M16T1, suggest the idle tower was somehow energized showed signs of arcing. Edison has been under scrutiny since the beginning because residents who live in Eaton Canyon took photos and videos showing a fire burning under a transmission tower just as the blaze started. No electricity has been directed through the wires of the tower for more than 50 years, but investigators hired by a law firm suing Southern California Edison suspect that tower M16T1 was somehow re-energized on Jan. 7, sending electricity through the wires and tower, possibly sparking the fire.

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History of this topic

Edison towers in the Altadena fire zone had known ‘ignition risk’ and needed repairs, records show
1 week, 5 days ago

Edison towers in the Altadena fire zone had known ‘ignition risk’ and needed repairs, records show

LA Times  

Investigators view a tower carrying Southern California Edison’s decommissioned Mesa-Sylmar power line, which is under scrutiny as the potential ignition site of the Eaton fire. Edison has described that type of maintenance as trimming trees and plants “so they don’t grow into or fall into high-voltage power lines, which could not only cause a power outage but also spark a …

Los Angeles County sues Southern California Edison, alleging utility’s equipment sparked wildfire
3 weeks, 4 days ago

Los Angeles County sues Southern California Edison, alleging utility’s equipment sparked wildfire

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles County said Wednesday that it’s suing Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s equipment sparked January’s Eaton Fire, which destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed 17 people in the Altadena area. The lawsuit seeks to recover costs and damages sustained from the blaze that damaged “essential community infrastructure” and “massively impacted the County’s natural resources, …

Los Angeles County sues Southern California Edison, alleging utility’s equipment sparked wildfire
3 weeks, 5 days ago

Los Angeles County sues Southern California Edison, alleging utility’s equipment sparked wildfire

CNN  

LOS ANGELES AP — Los Angeles County said Wednesday that it’s suing Southern California Edison, alleging the utility’s equipment sparked January’s Eaton Fire, which destroyed more than 9,400 structures and killed 17 people in the Altadena area. The lawsuit seeks to recover costs and damages sustained from the blaze that damaged “essential community infrastructure” including parks, a nature center and …

L.A. County sues Southern California Edison over Eaton fire
3 weeks, 5 days ago

L.A. County sues Southern California Edison over Eaton fire

LA Times  

Edison electrical lines and transmission towers can be seen near the origin of the Eaton fire in Eaton Canyon in February. Los Angeles County sued Southern California Edison on Wednesday over its alleged role in the devastating Eaton fire. The lawsuit alleges that Edison’s equipment failed to work as intended and that the company “failed to properly, safely, and prudently …

Letters to the Editor: Edison’s power lines aren’t the problem. Homes in fire-prone areas are
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Letters to the Editor: Edison’s power lines aren’t the problem. Homes in fire-prone areas are

LA Times  

Southern California Edison transmission towers are seen near the reported origin of the Eaton fire on Jan. 16. To the editor: Why are people trying to put blame on Southern California Edison and firefighters for the loss of their homes? Combustible material is used in construction, and homeowners don’t clear the area around their homes even though we’ve had so …

Edison knew before Eaton fire that cutting power risked igniting blaze, records show
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Edison knew before Eaton fire that cutting power risked igniting blaze, records show

LA Times  

Margaret Martin, 96, sits outside the ashes of a home built by her husband in 1966 that was destroyed in the Eaton fire as her daughter, Hendrena Martin, searches for valuables. “We don’t know what caused the Eaton fire.” A view of Southern California Edison transmission towers in the area of Eaton Canyon where the Eaton fire was reportedly first …

Court filing accuses Southern California Edison of tampering with possible Eaton fire evidence
1 month, 2 weeks ago

Court filing accuses Southern California Edison of tampering with possible Eaton fire evidence

LA Times  

ALTADENA, CA - JANUARY 15, 2025 - - A worker with Southern California Edison stands in the ruins of the Masjid Al-Taqwa that was destroyed in the Eaton fire at 2183 N. Lake Avenue in Altadena on January 15, 2025. Attorneys representing several Altadena residents who lost their homes in the Eaton fire are asking a judge to sanction Southern …

Utility says its equipment may have started a small blaze that erupted during January’s LA firestorm
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Utility says its equipment may have started a small blaze that erupted during January’s LA firestorm

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — A California utility said Thursday that its equipment may have sparked a small wildfire in Los Angeles that broke out the same day as two massive blazes in the area that killed at least 29 people and destroyed thousands of homes. Southern California Edison said the Los Angeles Fire Department is investigating the cause of the Hurst …

Southern California Edison equipment may have caused Hurst fire in Sylmar, report says
1 month, 3 weeks ago

Southern California Edison equipment may have caused Hurst fire in Sylmar, report says

LA Times  

The Hurst fire burns in the hills above the Oakridge residential community in Sylmar on Jan. 8. Southern California Edison reported to state regulators Thursday that its equipment may have sparked the Hurst fire that burned nearly 800 acres in Sylmar last month, but the utility has yet to determine where the much more destructive Eaton fire ignited. The Los …

What we know about Edison and the Eaton fire
2 months ago

What we know about Edison and the Eaton fire

LA Times  

Southern California Edison power transmission towers in the area where the Eaton fire was reportedly first spotted. Edison is back in a familiar hot seat Southern California Edison is under familiar scrutiny as investigators work to determine whether the utility’s equipment sparked the deadly Eaton fire earlier this month. The company has been found at fault for a few major …

Edison denied causing destructive 2017 fire. Feds now believe utility suppressed evidence
2 months ago

Edison denied causing destructive 2017 fire. Feds now believe utility suppressed evidence

LA Times  

When the Creek fire exploded in the Angeles National Forest in 2017, suspicions quickly fell on electric power lines as the cause. “That fault data clearly documents several massive, elevated amperage events on the Lopez Circuit at precisely the time the Creek Fire ignited,” the plaintiffs wrote in their suit. “Powerlines or equipment owned by Southern California Edison experienced a …

California utility reports fault on power line miles away from origin of deadly Eaton fire
2 months ago

California utility reports fault on power line miles away from origin of deadly Eaton fire

Associated Press  

GLENDALE, Calif. — Southern California Edison on Monday reported a fault on a power line connected miles away from ones located near the origin of the Eaton Fire, the deadly blaze that ignited outside of Los Angeles on Jan. 7 and killed at least 17 people. The attorneys allege the utility’s equipment sparked the fire, pointing to video taken during …

Power lines over Eaton Canyon saw surge in current before fire, Edison reveals
2 months ago

Power lines over Eaton Canyon saw surge in current before fire, Edison reveals

LA Times  

Homes along Concha Street lie in ruins less than two weeks after the Eaton fire devastated the area. Four Southern California Edison lines over Eaton Canyon saw a momentary increase of electrical current about the same time the destructive Eaton fire is believed to have ignited on Jan. 7, the utility told state regulators in a filing Monday. The incident, …

Video adds to scrutiny of Edison tower as possible site of origin of Eaton fire
Trending News
2 months ago

Video adds to scrutiny of Edison tower as possible site of origin of Eaton fire

LA Times  

Electrical lines and towers along North Altadena Drive in Pasadena on Jan. 12 to the northwest of where the Eaton fire may have been sparked. A video offers new evidence suggesting the massive Eaton fire may have been ignited at a Southern California Edison transmission tower just moments after flashes of blue and white light flared near the electrical equipment. …

Edison says encampment found near area where Eaton fire started; critics doubt it sparked fire
2 months ago

Edison says encampment found near area where Eaton fire started; critics doubt it sparked fire

LA Times  

Investigators look over the site at the base of a tower on Jan. 17 where the Eaton fire may have originated. Facing growing scrutiny over whether one of its transmission towers sparked the Eaton fire, Southern California Edison this week said that an encampment was found roughly 300 yards downhill from the tower in Eaton Canyon. Investigators for Southern California …

Judge orders Southern California Edison to preserve evidence and equipment in Eaton fire
2 months, 1 week ago

Judge orders Southern California Edison to preserve evidence and equipment in Eaton fire

LA Times  

Investigators on Jan. 17 look over the site at the base of an electrical tower where the Eaton fire might have begun. A judge on Tuesday ordered Southern California Edison to preserve data, equipment and evidence related to the deadly Eaton fire, a decision praised by attorneys who sued the giant utility company and suspect the fire began at the …

Letters to the Editor: Edison’s remarkably self-serving statements on the Eaton fire’s origin
2 months, 1 week ago

Letters to the Editor: Edison’s remarkably self-serving statements on the Eaton fire’s origin

LA Times  

Electrical towers are seen from the Eaton Canyon trail towering over burned hillsides in Altadena on Wednesday. To the editor: I read your article on the Southern California Edison chief executive claiming that his company did everything right before the Eaton fire with some amazement. To the editor: In order for Edison to prevail on its assertions that it is …

Attorneys for fire victim say utility may have destroyed evidence of what caused deadly LA-area fire
2 months, 1 week ago

Attorneys for fire victim say utility may have destroyed evidence of what caused deadly LA-area fire

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Attorneys for a woman who is among thousands who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire outside Los Angeles say Southern California Edison crews working to repair and restore power in the area may have destroyed evidence that could help determine what sparked the wildfire. Video and photos taken by residents captured flames beneath Edison’s electrical towers …

Edison stock turns volatile as growing blame for wildfires lands on the power company
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Edison stock turns volatile as growing blame for wildfires lands on the power company

LA Times  

Southern California’s catastrophic fires have rocked the stock of Edison International, the parent company of Southern California Edison, as accusations and lawsuits about the utility’s potential role in starting the fires mount. At least three died in the blaze.These are the victims of the California wildfiresSearch before-and-after images of the Woolsey fire burn area by addressHow to talk to kids …

Family of Eaton fire victim sues Southern California Edison, claiming wrongful death
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Family of Eaton fire victim sues Southern California Edison, claiming wrongful death

LA Times  

The family of an Eaton fire victim is suing Southern California Edison on claims of wrongful death, alleging that the utility company’s negligence is to blame for the devastating blaze that killed 59-year-old Evelyn McClendon. “We want them to know that her life matters, and we will fight to make sure she gets everything allowed by the law to say …

Altadena winds weren’t strong enough to warrant Edison shutting off transmission lines, CEO asserts
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Altadena winds weren’t strong enough to warrant Edison shutting off transmission lines, CEO asserts

LA Times  

Videos and photos, such as this one, taken by residents show fire burning at the base of an electrical transmission tower. The head of Southern California Edison said Wednesday that winds blowing in Eaton Canyon on Jan. 7 were not strong enough to merit de-energizing a powerful electrical transmission line that is now being investigated as a possible ignition point …

Edison Decision to Keep LA Power Lines Operating Draws Scrutiny
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Edison Decision to Keep LA Power Lines Operating Draws Scrutiny

Live Mint  

-- Edison International’s decision to leave some Los Angeles power lines operating during a historic windstorm last week is under scrutiny as an investigation into the city’s devastating wildfires gathers pace. Even though preemptive power shutoffs is a practice pioneered by Californian utilities, it’s far less common for them to turn off transmission lines versus more local distribution lines, according …

Multiple lawsuits claim Southern California Edison equipment sparked deadly LA fire
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Multiple lawsuits claim Southern California Edison equipment sparked deadly LA fire

Daily Mail  

Utility company Southern California Edison has been hit with several lawsuits by devastated homeowners who lost everything in the Los Angeles fires. A spokesperson said in a statement its electrical equipment was unlikely to have caused the Eaton fire, but extraordinary timestamped footage appears to show the blaze first taking off from a set of power lines. The suits cited …

Lawsuits claims utility’s equipment sparked devastating Eaton Fire, but investigation still ongoing
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Lawsuits claims utility’s equipment sparked devastating Eaton Fire, but investigation still ongoing

Associated Press  

LOS ANGELES — Lawsuits filed Monday claim utility equipment sparked one of the two deadly wildfires burning in the Los Angeles area while some Pacific Palisades residents believe the other blaze may have started when hurricane-force winds reignited the remnants of an extinguished New Year’s Day fire. Multiple lawsuits against Southern California Edison claim the utility’s equipment sparked the deadly …

Four lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison over Eaton fire
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Four lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison over Eaton fire

LA Times  

A Bank of America branch on Lake Avenue in Altadena burns during the Eaton fire on Wednesday. Four lawsuits were filed Monday accusing Southern California Edison of sparking the Eaton fire — one of the deadly blazes that broke out last week amid a historic windstorm and destroyed hundreds of homes. “We believe that the Eaton fire was ignited because …

Lawsuits allege power company involvement in LA wildfires
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Lawsuits allege power company involvement in LA wildfires

NPR  

Lawsuits allege power company involvement in LA wildfires toggle caption Zoe Meyers/Getty Images At least two lawsuits have been filed against Southern California Edison power company, on the speculation that faulty power lines may have sparked the Eaton Fire, which has claimed at least 16 lives and destroyed over a thousand structures. Sponsor Message Southern California Edison spokesperson Gabriela Ornelas …

Southern California Edison faces lawsuits over Los Angeles wildfires
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Southern California Edison faces lawsuits over Los Angeles wildfires

Al Jazeera  

In one suit, multiple witnesses are cited as having seen a fire at the base of a transmission tower owned by the utility. Southern California Edison, a unit of utility Edison International, has been hit with multiple lawsuits claiming its electrical equipment started one of the major wildfires raging in the Los Angeles area, according to court filings. In one …

Investigators study Eaton Canyon electrical tower area as possible origin of Altadena fire
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Investigators study Eaton Canyon electrical tower area as possible origin of Altadena fire

LA Times  

Electrical lines and towers are seen on Sunday along North Altadena Drive to the northwest of where the fire may have been sparked. “It’s currently an investigation into the start of the Eaton fire.” Early photos and videos taken by residents captured what appeared to be the first flames of the deadly Eaton fire, burning at the base of a …

Investigators Probe Causes of Deadly California Wildfires
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Investigators Probe Causes of Deadly California Wildfires

Deccan Chronicle  

Investigators are examining multiple potential causes behind the devastating California wildfires that have claimed at least 11 lives and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in the Los Angeles area. However, investigators ruled it out for these fires, as no lightning activity was reported in the affected regions, including the terrain surrounding the Eaton Fire in East Los Angeles County. …

Fire Agencies to Probe Possible Edison Link to LA Hurst Fire
2 months, 2 weeks ago

Fire Agencies to Probe Possible Edison Link to LA Hurst Fire

Live Mint  

-- Edison International’s Southern California utility said fire agencies are investigating whether the company’s equipment was involved in the ignition of the Hurst Fire near San Fernando. Edison’s shares have tumbled amid investor concern that its utility equipment could be linked to devastating wildfires that broke out in Los Angeles during an intense Santa Ana windstorm. The utility said attorneys …

Southern California Edison preserving equipment near Eaton fire starting point
2 months, 3 weeks ago

Southern California Edison preserving equipment near Eaton fire starting point

LA Times  

The number of faults on the power grid near three of the major Los Angeles County fires skyrocketed in the hours before the blazes began, according to a company that monitors electrical activity. California PG&E power lines caused California’s deadliest fire, investigators conclude Investigators with the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection have concluded that Pacific Gas & Electric …

Southern California Edison to pay $80 million over deadly 2017 Thomas fire
1 year, 1 month ago

Southern California Edison to pay $80 million over deadly 2017 Thomas fire

LA Times  

Edward Aguilar runs through the flames from the Thomas fire to save his cats at his mobile home in Casita Springs in Ventura County in 2017. Southern California Edison has agreed to pay $80 million to cover costs and damages from the 2017 Thomas fire, a massive blaze in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that killed two people and later …

Homeowners sue SoCal Edison, claiming faulty equipment sparked Coastal fire
2 years, 10 months ago

Homeowners sue SoCal Edison, claiming faulty equipment sparked Coastal fire

LA Times  

A view of homes still smoldering from the Coastal fire as seen from Talavera Drive on May 12 in Laguna Niguel. But the lawsuit, filed in Orange County Superior Court Tuesday, claims that the fire was sparked by Edison’s “negligently operated, repaired and maintained electrical equipment” and failure to clear brush around the equipment. “Defendants’ failure to follow the standard …

Southern California Edison power lines sparked deadly Thomas fire, investigators find
6 years ago

Southern California Edison power lines sparked deadly Thomas fire, investigators find

LA Times  

Investigators have determined that Southern California Edison power lines ignited the 2017 Thomas fire, a massive blaze in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties that killed two people and later gave rise to a massive mudflow that resulted in at least 21 deaths. “A high wind event caused the power lines to come into contact with each other, creating an electrical …

Southern California Edison Says Its Equipment May Have Helped Start Thomas Fire
6 years, 5 months ago

Southern California Edison Says Its Equipment May Have Helped Start Thomas Fire

NPR  

Southern California Edison Says Its Equipment May Have Helped Start Thomas Fire Enlarge this image toggle caption Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images The Southern California Edison utility company says its electrical equipment is at least partly to blame for starting the deadly Thomas Fire last year that engulfed hundreds of thousands of acres as it swept through Ventura and …

Southern California Edison says its equipment helped spark massive Thomas fire that killed 2
6 years, 5 months ago

Southern California Edison says its equipment helped spark massive Thomas fire that killed 2

LA Times  

The Thomas fire in December as it burned near Montecito. Southern California Edison on Tuesday said its electrical equipment likely sparked at least one starting point in the massive Thomas fire that ravaged Ventura and Santa Barbara counties late last year. The utility said in a statement that witnesses reported a fire igniting along Koenigstein Road in Santa Paula near …

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