SoCal Edison Agrees to Pay $82.5 Million to Settle Claims From 2020 Bobcat Fire

Southern California Edison has reached a record $82.5 million settlement with the United States to resolve claims stemming from the 2020 Bobcat Fire that threatened Pasadena’s foothill communities and came within 50 feet of the historic Mt. Wilson Observatory, the U.S. Department of Justice announced Friday.

The U.S. government sued SoCal Edison in September 2023, alleging in Los Angeles federal court that the Bobcat Fire — one of the largest wildfires ever in Los Angeles County — was caused by the failure of the utility and its tree maintenance contractor to properly maintain trees that came into contact with power lines and caused the blaze.

The Bobcat Fire ignited in September 2020 and scorched more than 114,000 acres — nearly 175 square miles — of which nearly 100,000 acres were in the Angeles National Forest.

The 82-day blaze forced Pasadena to issue evacuation warnings on Sept. 8, 2020, for residents north of Sierra Madre Boulevard. The warnings remained in effect for 17 days as the fire scorched 115,997 acres and posed a direct threat to the Mt. Wilson Observatory, according to Pasadena Fire Department reports.

The fire came closer to the Mt. Wilson Observatory than any blaze since the 2009 Station Fire, threatening both the astronomical facility and communication transmitters serving Greater Los Angeles. Firefighters successfully protected the observatory’s infrastructure, though one building sustained minor smoke and soot damage.

Air quality in Pasadena deteriorated to unhealthy levels during the fire, with ash covering cars throughout the city. Temperatures reached 116 degrees during the fire period, with extreme heat suspected of triggering a fire sprinkler system in a commercial building at Colorado Boulevard and Pasadena Avenue.

“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 for the Central District of California said in a 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.”

The utility agreed to pay the settlement without admitting wrongdoing or fault.

SoCal Edison spokeswoman Gabriela Ornelas said public safety remains a company priority.

“Our hearts are with the people who were affected by the Bobcat Fire,” she told City News Service. “We are pleased to have resolved this matter and will continue to advance wildfire mitigation measures to further enhance public safety and resiliency.”

The U.S. filed suit on behalf of the U.S. Forest Service against SoCal Edison and Utility Tree Service to recover costs incurred fighting the wildfire and for the extensive damages caused to the forest.

The wildfire started on Sept. 6, 2020, and resulted in more than three times the acreage damage caused by the Edison and Palisades wildfires combined.

The fire caused years of closure of more than 100 miles of trails and numerous campgrounds. It also had a detrimental impact on habitats and wildlife, including to the federally endangered wildlife-mountain yellow-legged frog, federally threatened fish and birds, and irreplaceable cultural and heritage resources, according to the DOJ.

The settlement is considered the largest-ever wildfire cost recovery by the U.S. in the region.

According to the complaint, the Forest Service sustained fire suppression costs in excess of $56 million, and it incurred property and natural resource damages of more than $65 million.

“Forest Service investigators determined that the Bobcat Fire ignited due to a tree in contact with power lines (conductors) owned and operated by SCE and maintained by SCE and UTS,” the lawsuit states. “The contact resulted in ignition of vegetation on a branch, which fell to the ground and spread.”

The wildfire destroyed 171 structures and 178 vehicles, damaged 47 structures, and resulted in the widespread evacuation of residences. It took weeks to put the fire out.

In 2021, the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services announced the approval of more than $50,000 in reimbursements to help cover damages to Arcadia and Monrovia caused by the fire.

The funding helped cover the costs of engineering and constructing a parking lot at the entrance of Canyon Park in Monrovia, and the costs of labor and equipment to clear vegetative debris from Wilderness Park in Arcadia, according to a Cal OES statement.

SoCal Edison agreed to pay the $82.5 million settlement by July 14.

“We are grateful to receive these settlement funds, which mark an important step toward recovery and restoration,” said Deputy Forest Supervisor Tony Martinez of the Angeles National Forest. “These resources will help us rehabilitate burned areas, restore wildlife habitats, and strengthen our forests’ resilience to future wildfires.”