Tuesday, August 25, 2026

Wildfire Survivors to Press Lawmakers at Capitol Tuesday Against Newsom Utility Liability Plan

California State Senator Sasha Renée Pérez at the “No Kings” 2 demonstration in Pasadena on Saturday, October 18, 2025. [Paul Takizawa/Pasadena Now]

Organizers said in a press advisory they expect dozens of survivors, wearing shirts reading “DON’T MESS WITH FIRE SURVIVORS” and carrying signs reading “NO UTILITY BAILOUT” and “STAND WITH REAL FIRE SURVIVORS.”

Announced participants include Pérez, whose 25th Senate District covers Pasadena and Altadena; other California legislators; Joy Chen, executive director of Every Fire Survivor’s Network; Pastor Anthony McFarland, an Eaton Fire survivor; and Carmen Balber, executive director of Consumer Watchdog.

Organizers said they are calling on lawmakers to focus on preventing utility-caused wildfires, protecting California families and holding corporations accountable. They said no financial emergency justifies shifting more of the cost of utility-caused wildfires onto survivors or bypassing the full legislative process.

Newsom has said the current system is failing the people it is meant to protect. “Status quo is not going to work,” he told reporters. His administration’s outline would create a fast-pay program prioritizing payouts to survivors who were killed, injured or whose property was destroyed; participants would likely have to give up the right to sue the utility.

The January 2025 Eaton Fire killed 19 people and destroyed nearly 9,500 buildings in Altadena and Pasadena. The legislative session ends Aug. 31.

The press conference with wildfire survivors and California legislators is Tuesday, Aug. 25. Legislators and survivors gather at 8:30 a.m., the news conference runs 9 to 9:30 a.m., and one-on-one media interviews follow until 10 a.m. It is free and open to news media at Capitol Park Lawn, Area 27, near 13th and N streets, California State Capitol, Sacramento.

Livestream: youtube.com/CASenDems. For more, visit efsurvivors.net.