A $225 million lawsuit has been filed against the Pacific Gas and Electric Company over damage caused during the 2021 Dixie Fire.
The wildfire was the second-largest in the history of California, burning 963,309 acres, or more than 1,505 square miles, in several counties after igniting July 13 north of Cresta Dam.
Shortly after the fire ignited, PG&E reported to the CPUC that its equipment might have been involved in starting the fire. In 2022, Cal Fire confirmed that the fire started after a tree hit PG&E equipment.
The lawsuit was filed on Wednesday and listed seven different business entities and trusts as plaintiffs that owned property in Plumas and Tehama counties when the Dixie Fire burned.
Here are the names of the plaintiffs listed:
- Collins Pine Company (CPC); based in Oregon
- CC&H Lands, LLC; based in Oregon
- CCT Lands, LLC; based in Delaware
- Rock Creek Lands, LLC; based in Delaware
- E.S. Collins California Trust; administered under Oregon laws
- TWC Corporation; based in Oregon and owned by CPC
- Wespath Forests LLC, based in Illinois
All of them own portions of the Collins Almanor Forest, and are seeking payment from PG&E for damages to property, timber and mill businesses caused by the fire.
“The day before the fire, these trees were part of a thriving, sustainably-managed commercial forest; the day after the fire, those trees were virtually worthless – amounting to only what could be salvaged of the burned logs,” said Edward Duckers, a counsel for the plaintiffs affiliated with Stoel Rives LLP. “Further, the unique environmental value of this forest is permanently lost and can never be replaced, all due to PG&E’s negligence.”
The complaint filed against PG&E accuses the company of negligence, public nuisance, private nuisance, trespassing and failure to comply with the Public Utilities Act.
It also alleges PG&E should have been aware of fire risk hazards caused by its operations due to the company’s involvement in previous wildfires in Northern California prior to the Dixie Fire.
The plaintiffs are requesting a jury trial regarding seven causes of action.