In this Sept. 17, 2020, file photo, the Bobcat Fire burns through the Angeles National Forest in Paradise Springs, Calif.The Department of Justice is seeking damages for one of the largest wildfires that's ever burned in Los Angeles County., which burned over 114,500 acres in 2020, was caused by the negligence of utility company Southern California Edison and its tree maintenance contractor, Utility Tree Service.
Forest Service investigators determined the Bobcat Fire ignited on Sept. 6, 2020, within the Angeles National Forest when a tree came in contact with a power line owned by Southern California Edison and maintained by both the utility company and Utility Tree Service, according to the complaint. A Southern California Edison spokesperson said the company is reviewing the DOJ's legal action "and it would not be appropriate to discuss outside of the court process."