SoCal Edison 'Questions' Ventura County Fire Department Report

   By Josh Beckerman 
 

Edison International (EIX) unit Southern California Edison said it "questions" a Ventura County Fire Department report about the December 2017 Thomas Fire.

The utility said it provided evidence to investigators about the ignition in the Anlauf Canyon area, and said "the report does not suggest this evidence was considered."

Earlier Wednesday, the department said an investigation determined the cause of the fire to be the utility's power lines. A "high wind event" caused power lines to come into contact, creating an electrical arc and releasing "hot, burning or molten material onto the ground," which ignited, the department said.

The utility said "evidence critical to the investigation also was not preserved as a result of the failure of VCFD investigators to prevent the destruction of that evidence," including physical evidence and webcam footage.

SCE reiterated its call for "comprehensive reform to urgently address the growing wildfire threat."

--Stephen Nakrosis contributed to this article.

Write to Josh Beckerman at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

March 13, 2019 20:33 ET (00:33 GMT)

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