At a Glance
- Southern California Edison filed a cross-complaint against LA County and six water agencies over the Eaton Fire.
- The utility claims delayed evacuation alerts, uncleared vegetation, and collapsed water pressure worsened the disaster.
- Edison is itself defending 19 death and 9,400 structure lawsuits alleging its power lines sparked the blaze.
- Why it matters: The move shifts liability as Edison faces thousands of suits seeking damages from California’s second-most destructive wildfire.
Southern California Edison (SCE) has turned the legal tables on Los Angeles County and a string of public agencies, filing a cross-complaint that blames them for amplifying the Eaton Fire’s deadly toll.
The filing, submitted Friday in Los Angeles Superior Court, names the LA County Fire Department, Sheriff’s Department, Office of Emergency Management, alert vendor Genasys, six local water districts, and SoCalGas. Edison argues that bureaucratic lapses and infrastructure failures-not just its own equipment-helped turn the January blaze into California’s fifth-deadliest wildfire.
Cross-Complaint Details
According to the document, West Altadena residents received evacuation notices too late because the county’s emergency alert chain faltered. Edison also contends that LA County never classified Altadena as a high-risk fire zone, a designation that would have triggered stricter vegetation-clearing rules in Eaton Canyon.
The utility further alleges that once flames erupted, water pressure plummeted and hydrants ran dry across multiple neighborhoods. The six water entities named are:
- Pasadena Water & Power
- Kinneloa Irrigation District
- Sierra Madre
- Rubio Cañon
- Lincoln Avenue Water Co.
- Las Flores Water Co.
A separate complaint zeroes in on SoCalGas, which Edison says failed to shut off gas lines after the fire had started, feeding secondary ignitions.
Legal Context
The cross-complaint lands amid a torrent of litigation against SCE and its parent, Edison International. Roughly 3,293 households have filed 1,551 claims since September under the company’s Wildlife Recovery Compensation Program. The utility has not disclosed individual payout amounts or recipients.
If successful, the cross-complaint could dilute Edison’s exposure by spreading liability across public agencies and infrastructure operators. The company frames the action as standard procedural maneuvering.
“These actions are a standard legal process that allows the court to fully examine all potential contributing factors and responsible parties. Southern California Edison remains committed to the communities impacted by the January fires and to supporting their recovery,” spokesperson Kathleen Dunleavy told News Of Los Angeles.
Fire Scope
The Eaton Fire scorched 14,000 acres, killed 19 people, and destroyed 9,400 structures, ranking it behind only the 2018 Camp Fire in statewide destructiveness.
Agency Silence
LA County departments, Genasys, and the named water districts did not respond to News Of Los Angeles‘s requests for comment. SoCalGas also declined immediate comment.
Key Takeaways
- Edison’s lawsuit shifts blame to county and water agencies for evacuation delays and dry hydrants.
- The utility still faces thousands of claims alleging its lines sparked the deadly fire.
- Payout data from Edison’s compensation fund remains undisclosed, leaving total financial exposure unclear.
