Los Padres to Receive $37.7 Million in Thomas Fire Cost Recovery Settlement

Press releases are posted on Independent.com as a free community service.

SOLVANG, Calif.— Los Padres National Forest officials announced that Southern California Edison (SCE) has agreed to pay the United States $80 million to resolve claims and recovery costs associated with suppressing the 2017 Thomas Fire that burned more than 280,000 acres, including more than 150,000 acres of National Forest System Lands in Santa Barbara and Ventura counties.

As part of the settlement, Los Padres will receive nearly $38 million for ongoing efforts to repair roads, trails, bridges and recreation sites damaged by the fire, as well as ecological recovery activities such as native plant restoration and invasive plant treatments.

“The Thomas Fire was the largest wildfire in Los Padres history; its impacts and aftermath are still being felt today,” said Los Padres Forest Supervisor Chris Stubbs. “This settlement provides the funding that will be required to address the widespread damage caused by this tragic event.”

The Thomas Fire ignited in two locations on the evening of December 4, 2017. The first ignition was in Anlauf Canyon north of Santa Paula and the second ignition occurred at the top of Koenigstein Road in Upper Ojai. The two fires joined and came to be known as the Thomas Fire.

In 2020, the United States filed a lawsuit on behalf of the Forest Service against SCE to recover costs incurred fighting the Thomas Fire and for the extensive damages that it caused to the Los Padres National Forest.  

For additional information about Los Padres National Forest, please visit the Forest website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf.