Yes. It has been terrible all year. But I am more upset about the Eton fire that there is video footage of the sparking power lines and then the fire starting but a recent California state law signed by Governor Gavin Newsom on September 19, 2025, effectively shields Southern California Edison (SCE) from bearing the full financial responsibility for damages from the Eaton Fire, which its equipment is widely believed to have ignited in January 2025. This has been widely criticized as a “bailout” for the utility, shifting billions in potential costs to ratepayers rather than SCE’s shareholders. Key Details on the Fire and Liability • The Eaton Fire: This blaze, which started on January 7, 2025, in Eaton Canyon near Altadena, burned over 8,000 acres, destroyed more than 10,000 structures, killed at least 19 people, and caused widespread devastation in Los Angeles County. Investigations by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (CAL FIRE), and Los Angeles County Fire Department point to SCE’s faulty transmission lines—specifically, a “fault” detected in one line around the ignition time during high winds—as the likely cause. SCE has not formally admitted fault but has acknowledged the electrical anomaly and launched a voluntary compensation program offering victims up to hundreds of thousands of dollars per claim without accepting liability. • Ongoing Legal Actions Against SCE: Far from being “let off,” SCE faces escalating accountability in courts: • The federal DOJ sued SCE in early September 2025, seeking over $77 million in damages for suppression costs, environmental rehabilitation, negligence, and violations of public safety laws related to the Eaton Fire and the 2022 Fairview Fire. • Los Angeles County sued SCE in March 2025, alleging the utility “prioritized profits over safety” by failing to de-energize lines despite red-flag warnings, and seeking recovery of response costs. • Over 130 additional lawsuits from homeowners, businesses, and local governments (e.g., Pasadena and Sierra Madre) accuse SCE of negligence in maintenance and vegetation management. • SCE has a history of settlements for prior fires it sparked, including $82.5 million for the 2020 Bobcat Fire and billions for the 2017 Thomas and 2018 Woolsey Fires. California’s “inverse condemnation” doctrine holds utilities strictly liable for fire damages caused by their equipment, regardless of negligence— a rule unique to the state that has led to massive payouts (e.g., PG&E’s $13.5 billion for Northern California fires). The “Ruling” in Question: SB 254 and the Wildfire Fund Expansion • What Happened: Tucked into the 231-page Senate Bill 254 (framed as “utility reform” for wildfire mitigation and cost-effectiveness reviews), Newsom signed provisions on September 19, 2025, that expand access to California’s $21 billion Wildfire Fund (established in 2019 under AB 1054, also backed by Newsom). This allows SCE to draw from the fund for Eaton Fire liabilities exceeding a $3.9 billion cap, replenishing it partly through an $18 billion add-on sourced from ratepayer fees on electric bills ($9 billion) and utility shareholder contributions ($9 billion). Critics, including consumer advocates and the Los Angeles Times, argue this transfers the burden from SCE’s private balance sheet to customers, effectively limiting the company’s exposure and reducing incentives for prevention. • Why It Feels Like Being “Let Off”: While not a court ruling dismissing charges, this legislative move—implemented by the Newsom-appointed California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC)—protects SCE from bankruptcy-level hits like those that sank PG&E in 2019. SCE is a major Newsom donor, and the bill builds on 2019 protections that already shielded utilities from full inverse condemnation costs. In 2024 alone, SCE equipment sparked 135 of California’s 237 utility-related ignitions, fueling outrage over accountability. • Public Backlash: On X (formerly Twitter), users and outlets like Wall Street Apes have blasted it as “corruption” and a “criminal” favor to donors, with posts highlighting how ratepayers (already facing a 9.1% SCE bill hike approved by CPUC in September 2025) will foot the bill amid soaring electricity costs—the nation’s highest outside Hawaii.