LA County files $100 million lawsuit against utility over Woolsey Fire

Southern California Edison is facing a $100 million lawsuit filed by the County of Los Angeles and its flood control and fire prevention districts in connection with the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

The fire, believed to have been sparked at a Rocketdyne facility in Simi Valley, charred more than 96,000 acres, destroyed more than 1,500 structures and resulted in three deaths.

The complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court will likely be consolidated with the coordinated cases, JCCP 5000, according to plaintiff lawyers. The complaint alleges inverse condemnation, negligence, public nuisance, trespassing and violations of the public utilities code, health and safety code and business and professions code.

"In our view, [the lawsuit] is another step toward recovery and healing from the tragedy of the fire, and we're hopeful that we can help recover funds to repay the county and taxpayers for all the damages and expenses that we incurred," said Assistant Los Angeles County Counsel Scott Kuhn.

Hueston Hennigan LLP is representing Southern California Edison. The firm forwarded requests for comment to the company's corporate communications director, Gloria Quinn, who said in a statement that the utility would not comment on pending litigation but that it pledges to make safety a priority and would help those impacted by the fires recover and rebuild.

Along with Kuhn, the plaintiffs' team includes Mary Wickham, Vanessa Miranda and Andrea Ross from the Office of the County Counsel and John Fiske and Victoria Sherlin of Baron & Budd P.C.

The official cause of the blaze remains under investigation but plaintiffs say they believe SCE-owned equipment -- electrical infrastructure and power lines -- came into contact with surrounding vegetation. The utility acknowledged in its February filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission that it might be found liable for the fire.