Eaton Fire

Fire facts (from public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed)

Year	2025
Start date	2025-01-07
Containment date	2025-01-31
Region / counties	Los Angeles
Acreage	14,021
Structures destroyed	9,418
Structures damaged	1,073
Fatalities	17
Cause status	under investigation
Cause category	utility equipment
Officially determined arson	No / not determined
Responsible party	None publicly/officially named
Last verified	2026-06-15

Cause

The Eaton Fire began on the evening of January 7, 2025 near Eaton Canyon above Altadena during an extreme Santa Ana wind event. The official cause remains under investigation. Public attention has focused on electrical transmission equipment in the area, but no agency has issued a final cause determination as of the status date below.

What happened

Driven by hurricane-force Santa Ana winds, the fire spread rapidly into Altadena and surrounding foothill communities, prompting large-scale evacuation orders across the area. It became one of the most destructive wildfires in California history by structures lost.

Litigation status

Litigation filed. Status as of June 15, 2026, per Southern California Edison.

Following the Eaton Fire, numerous lawsuits were filed naming Southern California Edison and related entities, with plaintiffs alleging the fire was connected to electrical transmission equipment in Eaton Canyon. As is typical of major California utility wildfire matters, the cases have been organized for coordinated handling in the Los Angeles courts. This site reports only that these cases exist on the public record as of the status date; it does not characterize their merits, predict any result, or describe any individual person’s position.

Lawsuits have been filed in connection with the Eaton Fire naming the regional electric utility. This entry reports only that litigation exists in the public record as of the status date; it does not characterize any individual's situation.

Court & regulatory record

• Robertson & Associates, Eaton Fire case page , Robertson & Associates, LLP
• California Public Utilities Commission, utility wildfire proceedings , California Public Utilities Commission

This is a reported public-record status, not advice about any individual's legal situation. Deadlines and eligibility change over time and depend on facts specific to each person, only a licensed attorney can assess yours.