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April 17, 2024 |
PG&E may get billed for destructive wildfire SACRAMENTO – (INT) – Pacific Gas and Electric may bear the cost to fight last year’s Butte fire which became the 7th most destructive in state history.
Calfire says its costs exceeded $90 million. An investigation determined that a tree brushing against a PG&E powerline near Butte Mountain Road in Amador County sparked the fire on September 9, 2015. The wildfire burned for 22 days and spread into Calaveras County before the blaze was fully contained at 70,868 acres. Two people lost their lives and more than 900 structures were destroyed by the fire. Calfire has the ability to seek recovery of costs incurred battling wildfires that are determined to be started by negligence or violations of the law. Calaveras County Board of Supervisors also say they will pursue all legal avenues and seek hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation from Pacific Gas and Electric Co. The County wants an investigation, penalty and fines from the California Public Utilities Commission for PG&E’s responsibility for the fire’s devastation and damage. Story Date: May 3, 2016
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