Southern California Edison and the U.S. Forest Service have settled a lawsuit over damage caused by the September 2020 Bobcat Fire north of Monrovia
LOS ANGELES - Southern California Edison has settled a lawsuit filed by the federal government in the wake of the 2020 Bobcat Fire that scorched the Angeles National Forest, agreeing to pay $82.5 million for firefighting costs, property damage and habitat destruction.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California announced the settlement with SCE on May 23. Justice Department officials described the settlement as the largest-ever cost recovery agreement secured by the U.S. government in the Central District.
The fire burned more than 114,577 acres (175 square miles) over a 2 ½-month period. It destroyed 171 structures, damaged 47 others, totaled 178 vehicles and triggered multiple evacuations, according to the original lawsuit filed by the U.S. government in September of 2023.
In the complaint, SCE and its contractor, Utility Tree Service LLC, were accused of knowing that trees in the area were not properly maintained by the utility. Some trees eventually came into contact with power lines, leading to the wildfire’s ignition on Sept. 6, 2020, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
The fire forced the U.S. Forest Service to close more than 100 miles of hiking trails and several campgrounds, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reported. In addition, the habitats of the endangered mountain yellow-legged frog and threatened fish and birds were degraded in the aftermath.
“This record settlement against Southern California Edison provides meaningful compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Bobcat Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands,” U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli said in a prepared statement. “My office will continue to aggressively pursue recovery for suppression costs and environmental damages from any entity that causes harm to the public’s forests and other precious national resources.”
A statement SCE provided to the Southern California Record said utility officials’ hearts were with the people impacted by the Bobcat Fire.
“We are pleased to have resolved this matter and will continue to advance wildfire mitigation measures to further enhance public safety and resiliency," the spokesman said.
The original lawsuit said the fire-suppression costs sustained by the U.S. Forest Service amounted to more than $56 million and that the federal agency also suffered more than $65 million in harm to natural resources and property damage.
In the initial lawsuit, the U.S. Attorney’s Office accused SCE and its contractor of negligence and said the utility was guilty of a breach of a special-use permit given to SCE. The lawsuit also sought compensation for the loss of trees and timber, damage to cultural and archeological sites, soil damage, loss of scenic views and investigation costs.
“We are grateful to receive these settlement funds, which mark an important step toward recovery and restoration,” Deputy Forest Supervisor Tony Martinez of the Angeles National Forest said. “These resources will help us rehabilitate burned areas, restore wildlife habitats and strengthen our forests’ resilience to future wildfires.”
As part of the settlement, SCE agreed to pay the $82.5 million within 60 days of the agreement’s effective date, May 14. The utility did not acknowledge any wrongdoing or fault.
The vast majority of acreage burned in the wildfire – nearly 100,000 acres – was within the Angeles National Forest.
