LOS ANGELES, California – Southern California Edison disclosed on Thursday that its equipment might have been connected to the ignition of the Hurst Fire, which burned alongside the Eaton and Palisades fires during the Los Angeles firestorms in January.
The acknowledgment came as part of a necessary filing with the state’s utility regulators. Last month, the company had already confirmed that fire agencies were looking into the possibility that its equipment was behind the Hurst Fire, which consumed about 799 acres in Los Angeles County.
The fire burned for eight days before being fully contained on January 16, without causing damage to any structures or resulting in any casualties, as reported by the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, Cal Fire.
In the recent filing, Southern California Edison expressed its belief that its equipment might have been involved in the ignition of the Hurst Fire, mentioning its willingness to cooperate with authorities as investigations into the fire’s cause continue.
Furthermore, the company addressed videos related to the beginning of the deadly Eaton Fire, hinting at a potential connection to its equipment. Southern California Edison emphasized its commitment to investigating possible reasons for the fire’s ignition, including exploring any ties between its equipment and the incident which destroyed over 9,000 structures.
The Eaton Fire, which claimed the lives of at least 17 individuals and brought devastation to Altadena, was finally contained last week after scorching over 14,000 acres, according to Cal Fire. The company has not found any evident signs linking the Eaton Fire to its transmission lines so far.
Overall, Southern California Edison’s clarification sheds light on the ongoing investigations into the series of fires that ravaged Los Angeles earlier this year, emphasizing the importance of identifying the causes behind such calamities.