Oregon — PacifiCorp has agreed to pay $575 million to resolve federal claims that its electrical equipment negligently sparked six major wildfires in Oregon and California.
The settlement addresses damages tied to four Oregon fires and two California fires that collectively burned approximately 290,000 acres of public land. The United States alleged PacifiCorp’s electrical lines caused the fires, though the company continues to deny liability.
The four Oregon fires include:
- The 242 Fire, which began Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin and burned 8,916 acres of federal land.
- The Archie Creek Fire, which started Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest and burned 67,000 acres of federal land.
- The Echo Mountain Complex Fire, which began Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis and burned about 2,500 acres, including federal land.
- The South Obenchain Fire, which started Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point and burned 14,780 acres of federal land.
The two California fires include:
- The Slater Fire, which began Sept. 8, 2020, on Slater Butte National Forest lands within the Klamath National Forest and burned 157,229 acres of federal land across the Klamath, Six Rivers, and Rogue River–Siskiyou National Forests.
- The McKinney Fire, which began July 29, 2022, near the Klamath National Forest and burned 39,000 acres of federal land.
Federal officials said the settlement will reimburse the United States for substantial wildfire suppression costs and help fund restoration efforts on public lands damaged by the fires. The U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its annual budget on wildfire suppression, according to federal officials.
“These recoveries are among the largest federal wildfire recoveries to date,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Adam Gustafson of the Department of Justice’s Environment and Natural Resources Division, stating the agreement balances taxpayer compensation with the continued provision of electricity.
U.S. Attorney for the District of Oregon Scott E. Bradford said recovering wildfire-related costs remains a priority, citing the significant economic and environmental impacts of large fires. U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California said the settlement reflects longstanding federal policy to hold individuals and corporations accountable for wildfire damages.
The settlement resulted from a joint effort by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Oregon and the Eastern District of California, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior.
Federal officials emphasized that the claims resolved in the agreement are allegations only, and there has been no determination of liability. PacifiCorp continues to deny responsibility for the fires.
About the Author
Discover more from Right Now Oregon
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Pacificorp will just pass the 575 million on to consumers with higher rates so we pay the claims. Have you noticed the higher rates which are going up even more.
STOP
Tamara