Cause Of Deadly Eaton Fire Identified After 18-Month Investigation

ALTADENA, CA — Electrical arcing on an out-of-service Southern California Edison transmission tower sparked the deadly Eaton Fire, according to the determination made by fire officials following an 18-month investigation.

A joint investigation by the Los Angeles County Fire Department and Cal Fire determined that a series of electrical arcing events occurred on an SCE tower Jan. 7, 2025, according to initial and supplemental investigative reports released by the county on Tuesday.

Investigators identified the fire’s origin as a bed of dry vegetation beneath SCE transmission towers on a ridge above Eaton Wash.

The investigation included a review of physical evidence and analysis by electrical and metallurgical experts, fire officials said.

Under California law, utilities are required to maintain and operate electrical equipment in a way that minimizes the risk of catastrophic wildfires, the department noted.

SCE power lines had long been suspected as the fire’s ignition source, and numerous lawsuits have been filed against the utility. The company previously told state regulators that its equipment was likely associated with the fire’s ignition. Additionally, the company has set up a voluntary compensation program for impacted residents.

SCE spokesman David Eisenhauer said Tuesday that the company had received the county’s report and was reviewing its findings.

“We have taken our potential role in the start of this fire seriously from the beginning,” Eisenhauer said. “As we’ve previously said, SCE believes that it is likely that its equipment was associated with the ignition of the Eaton Fire.”

The January 2025 wildfire killed 19 people and destroyed or damaged more than 9,000 homes and businesses, devastating Altadena and surrounding communities.

Federal prosecutors in September sued SCE over its alleged role in sparking the Eaton Fire and another blaze, seeking to recover costs of damage to thousands of acres of Angeles National Forest land. The suits, which argued that faulty SCE equipment ignited the fires, seek more than $40 million in damages.

"We intend to hold them fully responsible for their actions and will not allow them to recoup any settlement from ratepayers," First Assistant U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli wrote on social media Tuesday. "Edison took in more than $4 billion in profits last year. It's unconscionable that they continue to seek rate increases from the public for their own negligence in starting wildfires."

Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone acknowledged that the findings cannot undo the devastation suffered by the community.

“While the cause has been determined, our focus remains on assisting our residents to rebuild their homes and livelihoods, and ensuring lessons learned drive meaningful and impactful change in memory of the 19 lives lost,” Marrone said.

County Supervisor Kathryn Barger, whose district includes Altadena, said residents deserve transparency, accountability and access to the facts.

“While the report does not close this chapter, I hope it brings greater clarity and a measure of closure to those who have endured so much,” Barger said. “My commitment to supporting our community’s recovery remains steady and unchanged.”

The fire department said it remains committed to transparency and supports continuing independent investigations and after-action reviews.

On Tuesday, USC researchers released findings about contamination across LA County based on 6,000 soil samples collected following the Eaton and Palisades fires.

Read the full reports here.

City News Service contributed to this report.