Investigation Sheds New Light On What May Have Sparked Eaton Fire | KQED

"Nine months have passed since the Eaton fire blazed through neighborhoods of Los Angeles County in January, destroying more than 9,000 buildings and causing an estimated billions of dollars in damages. Since then, dozens of lawsuits, including two by the U.S. Department of Justice, have blamed high power transmission lines managed by the utility company, Southern California Edison, for starting the flames."

"For months, amongst each other and in groups online, Altadena residents have wondered whether something else might have started fires earlier in their neighborhood. An NPR investigation now reveals that transmission lines were not the only kinds of electrical equipment that caused problems on Jan. 7. Distribution lines that power individual homes malfunctioned in Altadena as early as 11 a.m., NPR found, and at least one fire linked to a problem with a distribution line started in Altadena hours before the sparks near Eaton Canyon."

Nine months after the Eaton fire, the blaze destroyed over 9,000 buildings and caused billions in damages. Dozens of lawsuits, including two by the U.S. Department of Justice, have blamed high-voltage transmission lines operated by Southern California Edison. SoCal Edison acknowledges its transmission equipment could have been associated with a Jan. 7 ignition near Eaton Canyon at about 6 p.m. Distribution lines that power individual homes malfunctioned in Altadena as early as 11 a.m., and at least one distribution-line-linked fire started hours before the Eaton Canyon sparks. Firefighters responded throughout the day to multiple power-line problems. A separate immigrant death in Imperial Valley custody raises questions about detainee care during deportation operations.

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