California utility SoCal Edison is being sued by nine plaintiffs claiming the entity is the culprit who initially sparked the massive Thomas Fire. The suit, filed last month, alleges that the largest wildfire in California’s recorded history was started because of negligence. The lawsuit says the utility allegedly performed construction in “an unsafe manner” which led to the vegetation catching fire. The construction site named in the lawsuit is located in the canyon near Steckel Park on the outskirts of Santa Paula, about 76 miles northwest of Los Angeles. The suit also names Ventura City and the Casitas Municipal Water District as defendants, citing their alleged failure to have working generators on hand that could have helped provide water pressure. The Thomas Fire burned more than 242,000 acres and destroyed more than 1,000 structures. Thousands of firefighters were called to battle the blaze, and there was one fatality. (ABC News)
