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**Summary:**

The U.S. Department of Justice has filed two lawsuits against Southern California Edison (SCE), alleging negligence in the sparking of both the Eaton Fire (January) and the Fairview Fire (September 2022). The Eaton Fire resulted in 19 deaths and numerous injuries, while the Fairview Fire burned through the San Bernardino National Forest. Prosecutors claim SCE failed to properly maintain its power infrastructure and are seeking $40 million in damages. SCE acknowledges a fault on a transmission line near the Eaton Fire origin but hasn’t admitted fault. The lawsuits highlight a broader issue of utility negligence causing deadly wildfires in California, drawing parallels to PG&E’s manslaughter charges related to the 2018 Camp Fire.

**News Article:**

**U.S. Justice Department Sues Southern California Edison Over Deadly Wildfires**

**LOS ANGELES** – The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed two lawsuits against Southern California Edison (SCE), alleging the utility company’s negligence sparked the deadly Eaton Fire in January and the Fairview Fire in September 2022. U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli announced the lawsuits at a press conference, stating the complaints reveal “a troubling pattern of negligence resulting in death, destruction and tens of millions of federal taxpayer dollars spent to clean up one utility company’s mistakes.”

The lawsuit regarding the Eaton Fire alleges that SCE failed to properly maintain its power and transmission infrastructure, contributing to the fire that killed 19 people and injured nine firefighters. The Eaton Fire ravaged southern California in January. Prosecutors are seeking $40 million in damages from SCE.

The second lawsuit focuses on the Fairview Fire, which burned through the San Bernardino National Forest in Riverside County. The DOJ alleges a swinging power cable made contact with a messenger cable, igniting the blaze.

While SCE has acknowledged a “fault” on a transmission line near the Eaton Fire’s origin, the company maintains that an investigation is ongoing and it has not conclusively determined that its equipment was to blame. “We continue our work to reduce the likelihood of our equipment starting a wildfire,” said SCE spokesperson Jeff Monford. “Southern California Edison is committed to wildfire mitigation through grid hardening, situational awareness and enhanced operational practices.”

The lawsuits come amid increased scrutiny of California’s energy utilities and their role in sparking wildfires. In 2020, PG&E pleaded guilty to manslaughter charges for its role in the 2018 Camp Fire, the deadliest in state history. Critics are calling for greater state oversight of utilities to prevent future tragedies. The Eaton Fire occurred in January when former President Trump took office for a second term.

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