Utility's idle transmission tower caused 2025 Eaton fire that killed 19,
Los Angeles officials say
[August 05, 2026]
By AMY TAXIN and CHRISTOPHER WEBER
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sparks from an idle transmission tower owned by
Southern California Edison caused the 2025 Eaton fire in the Los Angeles
area that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and
businesses, Los Angeles County fire officials said in a report released
Tuesday.
It took firefighters nearly a month to extinguish the blaze, which
scorched 22 square miles (57 square kilometers). The Eaton fire burned
at the same time as the wind-whipped Palisades fire. An AP analysis at
the time showed both blazes torched more urban area than any California
fire in decades.
The Eaton fire was caused by electrical arcing on the utility’s
out-of-service tower atop a ridge covered with dry fuel, the agency said
in a statement. When bare, uninsulated wires touch or come close
together it can cause arcing, which is when electricity jumps through
the air, producing sparks.
The report said SoCal Edison was responsible for maintaining and
operating its electrical lines and equipment “in a manner that would
minimize the risk of catastrophic wildfire posed by them.”
Utility has acknowledged potential involvement
The utility indicated previously its equipment may be involved. In early
reports to the California Public Utility Commission, SoCal Edison said
it detected a “fault” on one of its transmission lines around the time
that the Eaton fire started.
Kathleen Dunleavy, a spokesperson for SoCal Edison, said the utility is
reviewing the report.
“We have taken our potential role in the start of this fire seriously
from the very beginning,” Dunleavy said.
Dunleavy added the utility has claims against other agencies over issues
such as emergency response and the condition of surrounding vegetation.
SoCal Edison claimed in lawsuits earlier this year that Los Angeles
County agencies failed to send timely evacuation warnings to residents
in east and west Altadena. Eighteen of the 19 people who died in the
fire lived in west Altadena.
“Ignition is different from spread,” Dunleavy said. “A fire of that
magnitude – it’s never just one thing. There are numerous factors.”
Attorney Gerald Singleton, whose firm represents some Eaton fire victims
in pending civil cases against SoCal Edison, said the report confirms
that the utility's failure to maintain its equipment caused the blaze.
“For 18 months, Edison tried to shift blame onto county evacuation
warnings and local water agencies instead of owning its own equipment’s
failure,” Singleton said in a statement. "We will continue to fight for
full accountability and fair compensation for the survivors we
represent.”
Joy Chen, executive director of Every Fire Survivor’s Network, said the
report confirms what thousands of fire victims already knew about what
caused the blaze.
“The real question is who pays?” asked Chen, whose home sustained smoke
damage.
Utilities have been blamed for many of California’s most destructive
fires in recent years.
SoCal Edison, which provides electric service to about 15 million people
in California, has paid out hefty sums due to its equipment sparking
fires, including $2.2 billion to settle insurance claims from the
deadly, destructive Woolsey wildfire in 2018.
The utility is facing hundreds of lawsuits from fire victims, insurers
and government entities related to the Eaton fire. The U.S. Department
of Justice has also sued the company over damage to National Forest
land, and has asked for more than $40 million in damages to the federal,
state and local governments.
Attorney Mira Hashmall, who is representing Los Angeles County in Eaton
fire-related litigation, said the report shows what “Edison knew all
along.”
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Trees sway in high winds as the Eaton Fire burns structures Jan. 8,
2025 in Altadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Ethan Swope, File)
“Enough of Edison’s strategy of delaying justice for the victims of the
fire and blaming first responders despite their best efforts to protect
lives and property,” Hashmall said in a statement.
The Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office said Tuesday that it
will review the investigative report and will work with local, state and
federal authorities to determine if criminal charges are warranted. The
California Department of Justice didn’t immediately comment.
Another California utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, filed for bankruptcy
after its outdated equipment ignited wildfires in California that killed
more than 100 people and wiped out entire towns, including Paradise. The
utility pleaded guilty to 84 counts of involuntary manslaughter in
connection with the 2018 Camp Fire.
The Los Angeles County Arson Fire Investigation Unit jointly conducted
the Eaton fire investigation with California Department of Forestry and
Fire Protection or Cal Fire. The blaze was sparked during extreme
weather conditions that included high temperatures, low humidity and
powerful winds. Two “electrical arcing events” occurred in quick
succession, causing an unknown burning material to fall from the tower
to the ground below, according to the report.
Investigators interviewed residents who saw flames
The report cites interviews with several residents who saw the fire in
its early stages on Jan. 7, some who said it occurred below power lines.
One witness who noticed flames under an electrical tower said “he
observed an arc while watching the fire; he described it as a blue
light,” the report said. The witness began taking photos around 6:25
p.m., then watched as the blaze spread rapidly amid heavy winds.
Another Pasadena resident told investigators she was doing dishes with
her daughter when she observed a circle of orange sparks that turned
into flames. “The circle of fire was located at the base of the
transmission towers,” the report said.
Fire Chief Anthony C. Marrone said “while the cause has been determined,
our focus remains on assisting our residents to rebuild their homes and
livelihoods, and ensuring lessons learned drive meaningful and impactful
change in memory of the 19 lives lost.”
The Palisades Fire was the most destructive blaze in Los Angeles to date
and among the five worst in California’s history. That fire killed 12
people and destroyed more than 6,800 homes and buildings in Pacific
Palisades. The fire ripped through hillside neighborhoods, destroying
mansions with spectacular ocean views.
The man accused of sparking the Palisades Fire will be tried again this
fall after his first federal arson case ended in a mistrial in June.
Prosecutors said Jonathan Rinderknecht used a barbecue lighter on Jan.
1, 2025 to spark a blaze that burned undetected deep in root systems
before flaring back up Jan. 7.
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Taxin reported from Santa Ana, California.
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