Now that it is 100% contained, people are heading back to their homes and businesses to assess the damage caused by the disastrous Woolsey Fire. Hundreds of homes were destroyed, many parks and hiking trails are closed indefinitely, and numerous rehabilitation centers were destroyed or damaged. Multiple filming locations and historical sites were also directly affected, such as Paramount Ranch, Peter Strauss Ranch, the former Reagan Ranch, and the mansion where The Bachelor/Bachelorette are filmed. There are three known deaths, and many animals were affected and had to be evacuated to nearby Zuma Beach, where they were tied to poles and lifeguard stations.
The fire broke out around 2:24 p.m. on November 8 near the Santa Susana Field Laboratory in the Santa Susana Mountains above Simi Valley. By the third day, over 3,000 firefighters were deployed to contain it. It spread through Agoura Hills, Calabasas, and all the way to Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu. This caused students at Pepperdine University to seek shelter in place, because the only way to get out of the area was to use PCH.
The combination of dry landscape, lack of rain, and the Santa Ana winds made the flames spread quickly. Not only did the National Weather Service issue a Red Flag Warning for the fire-prone weather on November 7, the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection also issued a news release on the same day warning residents of the dangerous weather conditions.
While the fire was still raging and nowhere near containment on November 12, SCE issued a preliminary report to the California Public Utility Commission stating that one of its electric substations near the fire ignition point suffered an outage just a couple minutes before the fire started.
SCE must pay attention to weather conditions and maintain electrical infrastructure and nearby vegetation. The company also knew its equipment was outdated and improperly maintained, and it has known this for decades.
Residents affected are suing SCE for its negligence that caused millions of dollars in damage. This is the first class action lawsuit to be filed against SCE for causing the Woolsey Fire.
We know how devastating it is to have lost everything, and we also know how overwhelming it can be to navigate a fire insurance claim. We are representing victims of the Woolsey Fire. If you or someone you know was affected, call PARRIS for a free fire insurance case evaluation today.
