Southern California Edison Wednesday announced a series of community workshops for its forthcoming Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program, a claims program the utility said is designed to provide direct payments and fast resolutions to eligible individuals and businesses impacted by the Eaton Fire.
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SCE said it would launch the compensation program later this fall for those who lost homes, businesses or rental properties in the fire. Claims would also cover total and partial structure loss, commercial property loss, business interruption, smoke and ash, physical injury and fatalities, the utility said.
The community workshops include two in-person and two virtual sessions scheduled through this month. During the workshops, participants will have an opportunity to ask questions and comment on the draft program details. Registration information is available at sce.com/directclaimsupdates.
"The resilience of community members continues to inspire us, yet it's difficult to witness the challenges they face," Pedro Pizarro, chief executive of Edison International, the utility's parent company, said in a statement. "SCE's program is designed to help them focus on their recovery, and our efforts remain on supporting the community. While the investigation continues, inviting input on draft details is the next step in helping the community rebuild faster and stronger."
The Eaton fire killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures in Altadena.
In the wake of the Jan. 7 fire, dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Edison. Videos appear to capture the wildfire igniting under a transmission line in Eaton Canyon.
SCE said it was working with Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, who helped administer the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund, to consult on the design of the compensation program.
Participation will be voluntary for community members, with no application fees, administrative costs or legal fees charged by SCE to take part, according to the utility.
The workshops are scheduled on:
-- Sept. 25, 7 p.m. (virtual);
-- Sept. 26, 9 a.m. (virtual);
-- Sept. 27, 10 a.m., Loma Alta Park Gymnasium, 3330 Lincoln Ave., Altadena; and
-- Sept. 29, 7 p.m., Loma Alta Park Gymnasium, 3330 Lincoln Ave., Altadena.
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