wildfire litigation
Wildfire Liability in California: A PrimerĀ
California has a unique approach to lawsuits against utilities for causing fires.Ā Ā
Like other states, California allows wildfire lawsuits against utilities based on negligence. When a plaintiff can prove that the utility was negligent ā in other words, failed to exercise reasonable care ā plaintiffs can recover for environmental damage, reforestation costs, and loss of profits. But California also allows recovery even when a utility did nothing wrong, under a theory called inverse condemnation.Ā The PG&E bankruptcy made it clear that no-fault utility liability could threaten the financial health of the power system. The legislature created a new fund to deal with the problem.
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