Southern California Edison is disagreeing with key details of a just released report on the cause of the massive December 2017 Thomas brush fire which killed two people, and charred more than 280,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties. The official report from the Ventura County Fire Department blames arcing of some Edison power lines in high wind for starting the blaze.
But, in a statement Edison officials say they have evidence the fire started at least 15 minutes before the start time indicated by the Fire Department. The company says radar data shows a smoke plume in the area in advance of the 6:20 p.m. start listed by fire investigators.
The utility company says a final determination on cause, and responsibility will only come through the legal process.
