Southern California Edison (SCE) has launched a series of legal actions against public agencies and a fellow utility, alleging that a cascade of failures significantly exacerbated the devastation caused by last year's catastrophic Eaton Fire.
Legal Claims Allege Critical Failures
The utility filed cross-complaints in Los Angeles Superior Court on Friday, 16 January 2026. The defendants named include Los Angeles County, Pasadena Water and Power, and five other local water agencies. In a separate legal filing, SCE has also lodged a complaint against the Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas).
The Eaton Fire ignited on 7 January 2025, resulting in a tragedy that claimed 19 lives and led to the destruction of more than 9,400 homes and structures. Firefighters battled the blaze for nearly a month before containing it, with the fire ultimately scorching approximately 22 square miles (57 square kilometres).
Allegations Against Emergency and Utility Services
While the official cause remains under investigation—with evidence pointing to a potential spark from one of SCE's idled power lines—the utility's lawsuits place blame on the response of other entities.
SCE claims that Los Angeles County agencies failed to issue timely evacuation warnings to residents in east and west Altadena. A stark detail underpins this allegation: eighteen of the nineteen people who perished lived in west Altadena. Los Angeles County has declined to comment on the recent court filings.
Furthermore, the lawsuits argue that water agencies, including Pasadena Water and Power, did not supply adequate water as the inferno spread, critically hampering firefighting efforts and leaving crews with limited resources. Pasadena officials have publicly rejected these claims, countering that they believe the fire was caused by SCE's own equipment.
Claims Against Gas Company and Mounting Legal Pressure
In its separate action against SoCalGas, SCE alleges the gas utility did not initiate widespread gas shutoffs until four days after the fire began. The lawsuit contends that subsequent gas leaks and gas-fed fires acted as a significant accelerant, helping to fuel the blaze's destructive path. SoCalGas has stated it is reviewing the complaint and will respond through the judicial process.
These offensive legal moves come as SCE itself faces immense legal pressure. The utility is confronting 998 lawsuits from fire victims, insurers, and government entities. Additionally, the U.S. Department of Justice has sued the company over damage caused to National Forest land by the fire.
