El Dorado County and four other public entities have filed a lawsuit against PG&E for damages resulting from the 2022 Mosquito Fire.
El Dorado County says the lawsuit was filed in San Francisco Superior Court and includes as co-plaintiffs Placer County, El Dorado Water Agency, Georgetown Divide Public Utilities District, and Georgetown Divide Fire Protection District. The lawsuit alleges that PG&E’s equipment was the cause and origin of the Mosquito Fire, which caused significant damages to public and natural resources in El Dorado and Placer Counties.
“El Dorado County’s lawsuit seeks all recoverable damages allowed under the law caused by the fire,” said El Dorado County Counsel, David Livingston. “The lawsuit seeks to hold PG&E accountable and to help our community rebuild after this devastating fire.”
The Mosquito Fire started on September 6, 2022 and was active for 50 days, burning 76,788 acres. Between the two counties, more than 11,000 people were evacuated while more than 3,700 firefighting personnel responded to the fire. By September 8th , California Governor Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for El Dorado and Placer Counties. On September 9th , FEMA (Federal Emergency Management Agency) authorized Federal Management Assistance Grants for firefighting and response efforts.
Previously, federal investigators took possession of a PG&E utility transmission pole and attached equipment in their probe into the cause of the ongoing Mosquito Fire in Placer and El Dorado Counties.
The utility said in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that the Forest Service is conducting a criminal investigation into the wildfire. The fire has destroyed at least 78 homes and other structures.
The utility previously said in a statement it is cooperating with the federal investigation and noted that the U.S. Forest Service has not determined the cause of the fire.
(El Dorado County contributed to this report.)
