Southern California Edison transmission tower blamed for 2025 Eaton fire in Los Angeles area
A report by Los Angeles County fire officials identifies a Southern California Edison transmission tower as the cause of the 2025 Eaton fire. The blaze resulted in 19 deaths and the destruction of over 9,400 properties.
Why it matters
This underscores the critical role of utility infrastructure maintenance in preventing catastrophic wildfires in climate-stressed regions.
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — Sparks from an idle transmission tower owned by Southern California Edison caused the 2025 Eaton fire in the Los Angeles area that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and businesses, Los Angeles County fire officials said in a report released Tuesday.
It took firefighters nearly a month to extinguish the blaze, which scorched 22 square miles (57 square kilometers). The Eaton fire burned at the same time as the wind-whipped Palisades fire. An AP analysis at the time showed both blazes torched more urban area than any California fire in decades.
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