The Zogg Fire burned more than 50,000 acres in Shasta County in September 2020, killing four people and destroying some 200 buildings. PG&E said it accepted Cal Fire's determination that a tree falling onto a power line caused the fire.and not guilty to recklessly starting a fire, saying it believed no crimes were committed,"and that the conduct of our coworkers and contractors reflects good-faith judgment by qualified individuals.
In addition, PG&E will pay a $5 million civil penalty to Shasta County. The agreement stipulates that the utility will not seek to recoup the $50 million from customers. The settlement agreement follows a Superior Court order dismissing criminal charges, with the court noting that there were multiple inspections in the area before the fire, there was no evidence that PG&E's inspections fell below industry standards, and there was no evidence that a risk involving the tree was visible before the fire.