Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Altadena’s Elected Officials Call for Accountability After County Concludes Edison Tower Caused Eaton Fire

Altadena’s elected officials called for accountability and pledged continued support for fire survivors Tuesday after the Los Angeles County Fire Department released investigative reports concluding that electrical arcing on an out-of-service Southern California Edison tower caused the Eaton Fire — a determination the utility said it is reviewing.

The reports close an 18-month investigation into the January 2025 fire that killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of homes and businesses in Altadena and parts of Pasadena. It is the first official determination of the fire’s cause, and it arrives while litigation continues: a trial is set for Jan. 25, 2027; survivors face a Nov. 30 deadline to seek compensation directly from Edison; and portions of the reports remain redacted amid an ongoing District Attorney review.

Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose Fifth District includes Altadena, said in a statement, “The community deserves transparency, accountability and access to the facts. While the report does not close this chapter, I hope it brings greater clarity and a measure of closure to those who have endured so much. My commitment to supporting our community’s recovery remains steady and unchanged.”

State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez (D-Pasadena) said in a statement from Sacramento, “The findings of this report confirm what the people of Altadena have known for over a year and a half: A Southern California Edison decommissioned powerline started the Eaton Fire that took the lives of 19 innocent people, devastated thousands of families and scarred a beautiful community.” “We must not lose sight of what is most important: two out of three Eaton fire survivors are still displaced,” she said. “The road to recovery has been long and difficult and will not be complete until every survivor has received justice.”

Rep. Judy Chu (CA-28), whose office said she has led efforts in Congress to secure federal disaster assistance, tax relief and long-term recovery resources for Eaton Fire survivors, said in a statement from Washington, “Today’s findings from the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection and the Los Angeles County Fire Department confirm that out-of-service equipment managed by Southern California Edison sparked the Eaton Fire. This official determination is an important step toward accountability and justice for the survivors, their families, and our communities who have endured unimaginable loss over the past nineteen months. Southern California Edison must take every step necessary to help Altadena and Pasadena rebuild, and to ensure a tragedy like this never happens again.”

“While today’s findings bring long-awaited clarity, they do not change the reality facing thousands of families who are still struggling to rebuild,” Chu said. “Nineteen months later, two out of every three Eaton and Palisades survivors still have not returned home. That is why it is so important that President Trump and congressional Republicans immediately fulfill Governor Newsom’s disaster supplemental funding request in full—and with no strings attached— so survivors can finally complete the long road to recovery. The Senate must also immediately pass the Doug LaMalfa Federal Disaster Tax Relief Certainty Act so survivors are not taxed on the settlements they receive from Southern California Edison as they rebuild their homes and lives.”

Edison has not formally endorsed the reports’ conclusions. 

“We have taken our potential role in the start of this fire seriously from the very beginning,” SCE spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy said in a statement carried by The Associated Press. The utility told ABC7 it is reviewing the report and maintains that drought conditions and the fire response also contributed to the blaze’s spread.

Attorneys for residents suing the utility plan to present the reports at a case management hearing later this month, LAist reported. “Hopefully, this is going to prompt Southern California Edison to take affirmative steps to try and resolve all of the cases,” said Joseph Brent, an attorney representing Altadena homeowners, in an interview with ABC7. Attorneys also note that residents who accepted Edison’s compensation before the reports’ release have limited options to litigate, ABC7 reported.

Survivors have until Nov. 30 to file claims in Edison’s compensation program, the company said. The trial is set for Jan. 25, 2027.