PG&E claims it expects to incur a $1.15 billion loss due to the Dixie Fire, and it must turn over documents to the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of California relating to its possible role in igniting the devastating blaze.
The utility company said in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing that federal prosecutors asked for documents in an Oct. 7 subpoena. PG&E had previously admitted that a tree falling on one of its power cables might've sparked the wildfire.
The inferno, the second largest in recorded state history, scorched through Northern California in late summer and early fall, burning 963,309 acres before it was fully contained on Oct. 25. One person died and over 1,000 buildings were destroyed.
Federal officials are now requesting documents from the utility to aid in its ongoing investigation, which will determine its role and could result in charges.
The maligned company has been under heavy scrutiny in recent years due to its alleged role in multiple wildfires which have ravaged the state and exacerbated a historic drought.
Most recently, Shasta County charged the utility with over 30 crimes, including manslaughter, for its role in the 2020 Zogg Fire, which burned 50,000 acres of Redding and killed four people.
The company posted a loss of $1.091 billion in the quarter ending Sept. 30, according to SEC filings, compared to an income of $83 million during the same time last year.
Related
