7-08-2023 4:28pm

So-Cal-Edison, Tree Service and Telecommunications Company Pay $22 Million to Settle Claims from the 2016 Rey Blaze

Anita Johnson-Brown Editor

LOS ANGELES – Southern California Edison (SCE), Utility Tree Service LLC (UTS), and Frontier Communications Holdings LLC have reached a $22 million settlement with the United States to resolve claims made by the U.S. Forest Service. This settlement aims to recoup costs and damages associated with the devastating 2016 wildfire in the Los Padres National Forest, as announced by the Justice Department on July, 7.

The Rey Fire, which started on August 18, 2016, was triggered when a tree fell onto powerlines and communication lines owned by SCE and Frontier. The United States, on behalf of the Forest Service, filed a lawsuit in 2019 against SCE, Frontier, and UTS, which served as SCE's vegetation management contractor. The lawsuit sought to recover the extensive damages caused by the Rey Fire.

The United States alleged that the impact of the fallen tree on Frontier's and SCE's lines resulted in a malfunction of SCE's power equipment further down the power lines. This malfunction caused an energized power line to fall to the ground, subsequently igniting adjacent dry vegetation. The Rey Fire ultimately engulfed over 32,000 acres of land, including 19,000 acres of National Forest System lands in Santa Barbara County.

First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally stated, "This settlement will compensate the public for the expense of fighting the Rey Fire and restoring these federal lands that are enjoyed by all Americans. The U.S. Attorney's Office remains committed to aggressively pursuing recovery against those responsible for damages to our precious national resources."

Under the terms of the settlement, SCE, UTS, and Frontier have agreed to pay the $22 million without admitting any wrongdoing or fault.

Assistant United States Attorneys Matthew Barragan and Margaret Chen of the Complex and Defensive Litigation Section handled this case.

By Anita Johnson-Brown