Los Angeles County gets lion’s share of fire payout




CHARRED REMAINS–The Woolsey fire brought major devastation to Bell Canyon.
Photo courtesy of Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and the Coalition for Clean Air

Southern California Edison announced it will pay $360 million to some two-dozen public entities related to the fires of 2018 that were caused by SCE equipment, a settlement that includes a $210 million payout to Los Angeles County for the Woolsey fire.

Cities, park districts and other public agencies sued the utility company for starting the fire that burned more than 96,000 acres, destroyed 1,500 buildings and killed three people. The cities of Malibu, Calabasas, Agoura Hills and Westlake Village will receive various settlement amounts.

The unincorporated parts of the county were assigned $62 million.

Officials are seeking additional reimbursement from the federal government.

“This settlement is an essential step toward accountability and continued recovery,” L.A. County supervisor Shiela Kuehl said in a statement. Kuehl’s district includes most of the Woolsey fire burn area. “While this settlement won’t bring back people’s homes or businesses, it’s very important to hold SCE accountable for the devastation caused by this fire,” she said.

The city of Malibu, which took the brunt of the fire and lost more than 600 homes, will receive $13.7 million. Mayor Karen Farrer said the money will pay for services to the community.

Calabasas, which lost nine homes, will receive $4 million in damages.

“Calabasas suffered taxpayer losses stemming from the 2018 Woolsey Fire,” Mayor David Shapiro said. “The funding coming to the city from this settlement will replenish the city’s resources . . . mitigating the impact of the fire on the city’s community.”

Agoura Hills, which also lost nine homes, will get paid $1.3 million. Mayor Linda Northrup said the money will help pay for taxpayer resources destroyed by the Woolsey fire.

Westlake Village lost 20 homes in the blaze and, like the other local cities, suffered damage to parks and other public property in addition to private homes.  There’s no report on the amount of payout coming to the City of Westlake Village.

The remainder of the $360 million settlement, $150 million, goes toward various Ventura County entities affected mainly by the Hill fire. After costs and attorney’s fees, the County of Ventura said it will receive $16.7 of the $21 million it was awarded. Costs will take a hefty bite out of the L.A. County settlement as well.

There was no admission of wrongdoing or liability in reaching the agreements, SCE said in a statement, but during a call with investors in October Edison International president and chief executive Pedro Pizarro said the electrical company acknowledged an investigation by the Ventura County Fire Department that said SCE’s equipment was the cause of Woolsey.

“Absent additional evidence, SCE believes it is likely that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Woolsey fire, Pizarro said during the Oct. 29 call. “Final determination of legal causation and liability would only be made during lengthy and complex litigation. . . . SCE is not aware of any basis for felony liability with regards to (the Woolsey fire).”

The Woolsey settlement comes after days of in-person mediation sessions held in Los Angeles involving Southern California Edison and 23 public entities.

Additionally, there have been more than 30 lawsuits filed on behalf of hundreds of property owners, renters and others who suffered injuries and loss as a result of the fires. Those cases are expected to move forward despite the recent settlement involving the county and cities.