Southern California Edison (SCE) announced it will create a Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program to assist victims of the Eaton Fire, which killed 19 people and destroyed thousands of homes and buildings in Altadena this past January.

The cause of the fire remains under investigation, but lawsuits filed earlier this year claim the utility's equipment sparked the deadly blaze. Pedro Pizarro, CEO of Edison International, SCE's parent company, said the company aims to avoid prolonged legal battles.

"Even though the details of how the Eaton Fire started are still being evaluated, SCE will offer an expedited process to pay and resolve claims fairly and promptly," Pizarro said in a statement.

The compensation program, set to launch this fall, will offer payments to those who lost homes, businesses, or rental properties, as well as those who suffered injuries or lost family members.

LA County previously estimated damages in the hundreds of millions and has filed suit against SCE. Survivors, including EJ Soto, whose childhood rental home was destroyed, say the fund is a form of admission. "Money won't bring back the memories or the pain," she said.

The fund will be administered by experts who helped set up the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund.

Wildfire advocates, including LA Fire Justice, warn that similar programs, such as PG&E's fund in Northern California, were slow and often inadequate.

SCE previously paid over $2 billion in wildfire-related claims and settlements, including $64 million to LA County for the 2018 Woolsey Fire.

Source: timesunion.com