Edison of Southern California reported Thursday to state regulators that the equipment likely caused the Hearst fire, which burned nearly 800 acres in Sylmer last month, but the utility said its more destructive Eaton fire. It has not yet been determined where the fire was fired.
The Los Angeles Fire Department tracked the source of the Hearst fire in Sylmer and to an area near the Edison Transmission Tower in Southern California where the downed route was found, the utility company announced in its latest submission to the California Public Utilities Commission did. The fire damaged two homes, but there were no reports of injuries.
“The Los Angeles Fire Department is investigating the fire, suggesting that SCE equipment caused the Hearst fire,” SCE’s Paul Pimentel said in a filing with the company’s state utility regulator. “Without additional evidence, SCE believes that the equipment could be linked to the Hearst Fire.”
The Hearst Fire ignited during a Santa Ana wind storm just after 10pm on January 7th, hours after the Pallisard and Eaton fires first began. The Sylmer Flame was fully housed on January 16th and was born in the area north of Saddle Ridge Road, near the Transmit Tower.
In another submission Thursday, SCE reported that the utility has not determined where the Eton fire was fired, but is investigating all information and data, including video from the area early in the fire.
“We don’t know yet what causes Eaton Wildfire, but SCE is investigating all possible investigations, including the possibility that SCE equipment may be involved,” said Pedro J. Pizarro, parent company of SCE, and Edison International. He said. In a statement. “We have been fully engaged since the start of the fire to support a wider emergency response, containment, recovery and investigation efforts.”
SCE reported that four power lines on Eton Canyon had a short increase in current around the time the fire broke out, the utility company announced in a separate filing.
Near the Hearst Fire Ignition Point, the utility company states, “The hardware supporting the top phase bundled conductor insulator strings is isolated, dropping the upper phase into the mid phase and onto the ground at the base of the tower. I reported it falling. 6.”
Edison has since repaired the damaged equipment and retained the materials as part of the investigation.
SCE has released its findings to the Utility Committee, but both Eaton and Hurst fire investigations are still underway.
A full Eaton Fire investigation could take several months to complete, SCE said, and includes close range inspections and testing of the equipment.
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