Fire officials released a report on Tuesday stating that the deadly 2025 Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area was caused by equipment belonging to the utility company Southern California Edison. Investigators concluded the blaze resulted from electrical arcing events on a decommissioned transmission tower that was not in service.
The wildfire, which occurred in January 2025, killed 19 people and scorched 57 square kilometres. The blaze devastated the region, destroying or damaging more than 9,000 homes and businesses, particularly in West Altadena. It took firefighters nearly a month to fully extinguish the fire.
Southern California Edison has claimed in lawsuits earlier this year that Los Angeles County agencies failed to send timely evacuation warnings to residents in east and west Altadena.