California blames PG&E for Kincade Fire in wine country. Criminal charges coming?
California investigators Thursday blamed PG&E Corp. for the major wildfire that burned through parts of Sonoma County wine country last October — and referred the case to prosecutors for possible criminal charges.
In a brief statement, Cal Fire said faulty PG&E transmission lines northeast of Geyserville sparked the Kincade Fire, which began Oct. 23 and burned 77,758 acres. Four people were hurt and 374 homes and other buildings were destroyed. More than 180,000 residents were evacuated.
PG&E had previously acknowledged a problem on a transmission tower as a possible factor in the fire.
Cal Fire declined to release its investigative report because it has been forwarded to the Sonoma County District Attorney’s Office, a sign that PG&E could face criminal action in the Kincade Fire — another legal setback for a company that just wrapped up a bankruptcy case triggered by the 2017 and 2018 wildfires.
PG&E recently pleaded guilty to felony manslaughter charges in connection with the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 people and is the deadliest wildfire in California history. It was fined $4 million.
Officials with the Sonoma County DA’s office couldn’t be reached for comment.
The company said: “At this time, we do not have access to Cal Fire’s investigative report or the evidence it has collected. We look forward to reviewing both at the appropriate time.”
While the Kincade Fire was far less destructive than the Camp Fire, it still figures to be costly. The company said in May that damages from the fire could top $600 million, not counting fines.
The fire worsened tensions between the utility and Gov. Gavin Newsom and other elected officials.
PG&E had shut off power to the area to reduce wildfire risks as one of a series of strong windstorms kicked up. But the utility didn’t close down its transmission lines running through Geyserville. As a rule, the company hasn’t shut off transmission lines, which carry power in bulk to large swaths of customers, because they’re positioned higher off the ground than the neighborhood distribution lines and are considered less likely to spark a fire.
In the weeks following the Kincade Fire, the utility said it would be more likely to shut off transmission lines during windstorms.
PG&E disclosed to state regulators last October that its transmission lines likely ignited the Kincade Fire.
Newsom spent weeks blasting the company for its management of the electrical grid and its approach to its “public safety power shutoffs.” The utility blacked out millions of homes last fall as strong winds ripped through much of Northern California.
He mused about the state taking ownership of PG&E, which was struggling through Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.
Newsom wound up signing off on a significant reorganization of PG&E’s leadership and operating structure, and the company has successfully completed its bankruptcy case.
This story was originally published July 16, 2020 at 2:44 PM.