On Friday, Eaton Fire survivors gathered in Altadena to write letters to Governor Gavin Newsom to ask him not to make deals to prevent the accountability of utility companies like SoCal Edison.
The survivors are demanding that the governor stop making deals with utility companies that will allegedly limit the companies’ liability for the L.A. wildfires and place more costs on survivors.
“Your administration is considering proposals that would cap compensation for death, trauma, pain, and irreplaceable loss,” said one survivor.
Many survivors told KNX News’ Karen Adams that many of them are still displaced, now living in cars after running out of money.
“The last thing that fire survivors should lose right now is their right to full and fair justice,” said another survivor. “And if this can happen to fire survivors in California, it can happen to disaster survivors anywhere in America.”
According to the survivors, a utility-funded group, Wildfire Survivors First, is masquerading as representing them while pushing proposals that would harm them, prompting them to speak out today.
The group was joined by Jamie Court from Consumer Watchdogs, who echoed the claim.
“This is a bought and paid for coalition, and the legislature should demand they change their name to shareholders,” said Court.
They believe the group is a cover for SoCal Edison and two other California utility companies.
The survivors launched a national campaign, DearNewsom.org, that aims to “protect survivors, not the perpetrators of California’s catastrophic fires.”
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