2018 · Los Angeles and Ventura Counties
Woolsey Fire
Status as of June 15, 2026, per Southern California Edison
| Year | 2018 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2018-11-08 |
| Containment date | 2018-11-21 |
| Region / counties | Los Angeles, Ventura |
| Acreage | 96,949 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,643 |
| Structures damaged | 364 |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Cause status | suspected |
| Cause category | utility equipment |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Responsible party | None publicly/officially named |
| Last verified | 2026-06-15 |
Cause
The Woolsey Fire started on November 8, 2018 in Ventura County and burned into Los Angeles County communities including Malibu. Investigations focused on electrical utility equipment near the origin; this entry does not assert a final agency determination of cause.
What happened
The wind-driven fire crossed the Santa Monica Mountains to the coast, prompting the evacuation of much of Malibu and surrounding communities and destroying more than a thousand structures.
Litigation status
Litigation filed. Status as of June 15, 2026, per Southern California Edison.
The Woolsey Fire produced extensive litigation against Southern California Edison, with plaintiffs alleging that utility equipment near the fire’s origin was involved. The cases were coordinated for pretrial handling along with related wildfire matters. This site reports the existence of that litigation on the public record as of the status date; it makes no statement about the outcome or about any individual claimant. In the Woolsey Fire litigation, Robertson & Associates served as court-appointed co-lead counsel for roughly 10,000 plaintiffs; the firm reports the coordinated proceedings recovered over $1 billion for affected residents (per Robertson & Associates).
Litigation was filed against the regional electric utility in connection with the Woolsey Fire. This entry reports only the existence of litigation in the public record as of the status date.
Court & regulatory record
- Robertson & Associates, Woolsey Fire case page , Robertson & Associates, LLP
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.
Sources
- CAL FIRE Incident Statistics, Top 20 Most Destructive California Wildfires, CAL FIRE
- CAL FIRE Incidents archive, CAL FIRE
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. Figures marked AUTO-updatable are refreshed from government incident data; see Sources & Methodology.