SCE Concedes Its Equipment May Have Sparked LA Fire

LOS ANGELES, CA — Southern California Edison acknowledged in regulatory filings that its equipment may have played a role in igniting the Hurst Fire, which broke out in Sylmar amid historic Santa Ana winds. The company also indicated it is exploring the possibility its equipment played a role in the Eaton Fire but stopped short of claiming responsibility for the blaze that destroyed thousands of homes and took 16 lives.

"Absent additional evidence, SCE believes its equipment may be associated with the ignition of the Hurst Fire." Paul Pimentel, Principal Manager at SCE wrote in a filing with the state Public Utilities Commission.

SCE is facing enormous scrutiny over its decision not to de-energize power lines in wind-prone canyons and foothills amid a powerful once-a-decade Santa Ana windstorm. Already, the company is facing a myriad of lawsuits stemming from the deadly Eaton Fire in Altadena, which the utility giant has not claimed responsibility for.

The Hurst Fire scorched nearly 800 acres in very little time, devouring the bone dry vegetation in hours and straining firefighting resources during the Eaton and Palisades fires last month. The fire broke out Jan.7, prompting evacuations and threatening hundreds of homes. It briefly shut down the Foothill (210) Freeway. In the end, no homes were destroyed by the blaze, and crews contained it much more quickly than the other Los Angeles wildfires raging out of control at the time.

Pimentel cautioned that the Los Angeles Fire Department's investigation into the blaze has not yet been completed.

The filing notes that the fire originated in the vicinity of an SCE transmission tower north of Saddle Ridge Road. SCE concedes in the filing that a conductor failure occurred on the tower the night of Jan. 7, causing damaged equipment to fall to the ground at the base of the tower.

SCE has already been targeted in multiple lawsuits accusing its equipment of sparking the Eaton Fire, which burned 14,021 acres and destroyed more than 7,000 homes in the Altadena area. The cause of that fire is still under investigation, but attorneys have recently pointed to surveillance video that appears to show SCE power lines arcing in the vicinity of the fire's origin on Jan. 7.

"While we do not yet know what caused the Eaton wildfire, SCE is exploring every possibility in its investigation, including the possibility that SCE's equipment was involved," Pedro J. Pizarro, president and CEO of SCE's parent company, Edison International, said in a statement Thursday. "We have been fully engaged since the start of the fires in supporting the broader emergency response, containment, recovery and investigation efforts."

According to a statement released by the company, "Information and data have come to light, such as videos from external parties of the fire’s early stages, suggesting a possible link to SCE’s equipment, which the company takes seriously. SCE has not identified typical or obvious indications that would support this association, such as broken conductors, fresh arc marks in the preliminary origin area, or evidence of faults on the energized lines running through that area."

SCE officials said its investigation into the fire's cause is likely to take several more months.

"Our hearts go out to everyone who has suffered losses," Pizarro said. "We are working with the local communities SCE serves to rebuild and emerge stronger. We understand the community wants answers, and we remain committed to a thorough and transparent investigation."

Community members and attorneys representing people who lost their homes in the Eaton Fire have accused the utility of recklessness.

"This didn't have to happen," community advocate Erin Brockovich told media and residents last Jan. 27. "We've been over it, and over it, and over it — this is utilities' antiquated, failed infrastructure. Everybody in California, including the utilities, you know about the Santa Ana winds, you know about the fire conditions, you know where the problems are on your (electrical) line."

Brockovich announced a legal effort to sue the utility on behalf of residents in Altadena, Sierra Madre and Pasadena.

Surveillance video taken from an Altadena Arco gas station that the attorneys contend shows SCE power lines arcing during the Jan. 7 windstorm, and sparks subsequently falling to the ground. Within minutes, flames can be seen on the hillside.

The flashes, recorded by the surveillance camera at 6:11 p.m. Jan. 7, align with accounts from area residents, including one person who told The New York Times their lights flickered momentarily before the fire appeared under an electrical tower.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation, but the Times noted the power lines carried by the towers were exposed to up to 100 mph winds the night the fire started.

Matt Logelin, whose backyard overlooks the Eaton Canyon area, was making dinner for his children when he heard the sound. At first, he thought it might be a tree branch that snapped in the strong wind.

“I looked out the window just to kind of watch the wind. And I saw a tiny fire up on the hill,” he said. He grabbed his phone and snapped a photo at 6:13 p.m. Twenty-three minutes later, the sky was glowing orange and flames filled the canyon.

Logelin immediately called 911 to report the breakout of the fire and ran to his neighbors to alert them. He snapped another photo at 6:21 p.m. that showed the orange flames had already spread across the hills. By 6:35 p.m. he and his family were in the car driving to safety.

• Read more: Elite Fire Investigation Team Called In To Determine Palisades Fire's Origin
• 'Conclusive Proof' Of Eaton Fire's Origins Will Cost SCE Billions, Attorneys Claim
• Video Reveals New Details About Eaton Fire's Possible Origins: NYT

City News Service, The Associated Press and Patch Staffers Chris Lindahl and Anna Schier contributed to this report.