Southern California Edison (SCE) acknowledged on Thursday that its equipment probably caused a minor wildfire in Los Angeles, coinciding with two significant fires that resulted in at least 29 fatalities and extensive property damage. The utility’s statement regarding the Hurst Fire, which did not destroy any buildings or cause any loss of life, was made during an official submission to state regulators.
In another filing, SCE is investigating whether an idled transmission line may have ignited the deadly Eaton Fire that ravaged Altadena. While the company asserts there is no conclusive evidence linking its equipment to the Eaton Fire, it is examining video that reportedly shows electrical arcing near the fire’s origin. Preliminary assessments found no signs of arcing, although some damage to related infrastructure was detected.
Despite multiple lawsuits claiming SCE’s equipment caused the Eaton Fire, the utility states it is too early to reach a definitive conclusion about its involvement. SCE indicated it has not observed typical indicators that would confirm such a connection, which includes broken wires or evidence of faults on the energised lines in the vicinity. The Eaton Fire led to at least 17 deaths and has since been fully contained, as has the Palisades Fire, which was the most devastating, affecting numerous homes and causing 12 fatalities.