The Butte Fire (2015) was a California wildfire in Amador & Calaveras Counties, with 70,868 acres, 921 structures destroyed, 2 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, filed with the SEC.
The Butte Fire burned 70,868 acres in Amador and Calaveras counties in September 2015. It killed two people and destroyed 921 structures, 549 of them homes.
CAL FIRE found that a gray pine fell against a PG&E power line. Regulators fined the utility $8.3 million in 2017 for failing to spot the tree and for reporting the incident late.
It was the first of the large PG&E wildfire cases, and much of what followed in later fires was tested here. A Sacramento court ruled in 2017 that inverse condemnation applied to the utility. In July 2018 a Court of Appeal ruled that the plaintiffs could not seek punitive damages under the Civil Code. By the end of 2018 PG&E reported $904 million in settlements, $874 million of it paid, with about 3,900 individual plaintiffs in the coordinated cases.
The cases never reached trial. A first trial was set for April 1, 2019; PG&E filed for bankruptcy that January and the litigation was stayed. Under the reorganization plan the remaining Butte Fire claims were discharged and sent to the Fire Victim Trust, which pays them alongside claims from the 2017 North Bay fires and the 2018 Camp Fire.
Structure counts differ by source. The regulator and PG&E give 921 destroyed and 44 damaged. CAL FIRE's incident page gives 965 destroyed and none damaged, which is the same total.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2015 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2015-09-09 |
| Containment date | 2015-10-01 |
| Region / counties | Amador, Calaveras |
| Acreage | 70,868 |
| Structures destroyed | 921 |
| Structures damaged | 44 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | PG&E reported $904 million in Butte Fire settlements as of December 31, 2018, of which $874 million had been paid. Calaveras County settled for $25.4 million in November 2018. Remaining claims were discharged under PG&E's Chapter 11 plan in 2020 and sent to the Fire Victim Trust, which publishes combined figures for all its fires only. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
CAL FIRE announced on April 28, 2016 that the Butte Fire was sparked by a tree that came into contact with a Pacific Gas and Electric Company power line near Butte Mountain Road in Amador County on September 9, 2015. Its investigation report, case number 15CAAEU024918, identifies the tree as a gray pine. State utility regulators cited PG&E in April 2017 for failing to identify that tree as a hazard. PG&E has accepted that the tree contacted its line and has disputed that its vegetation management program fell short.
What happened
The Butte Fire started at about 2:26 PM on September 9, 2015 east of Jackson in Amador County and spread into Calaveras County. The Governor proclaimed a state of emergency for both counties on September 11. Two civilians died. CAL FIRE's report records containment on October 1, 2015 at 70,868 acres. Federal major disaster DR-4240-CA, covering the Valley and Butte fires, was declared on September 22, 2015.
Butte Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Butte Fire starts east of Jackson in Amador County when a tree contacts a PG&E power line.
Source: CAL FIRE, archived copy of its April 28, 2016 release
The Governor proclaims a state of emergency for Amador and Calaveras counties.
Federal major disaster DR-4240-CA is declared for the Valley and Butte fires.
Source: FEMA
CAL FIRE announces the cause and says it will seek to recover its firefighting costs.
Source: CAL FIRE, archived copy of its April 28, 2016 release
CPUC safety staff issue two citations to PG&E totaling $8.3 million.
The Court of Appeal rules that plaintiffs cannot seek punitive damages under Civil Code section 3294.
Source: California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District
PG&E and Calaveras County settle the county's claims for $25.4 million.
Source: The Sacramento Bee
PG&E files for Chapter 11 protection; the coordinated cases and the April 2019 trial are stayed.
PG&E's plan takes effect; remaining Butte Fire claims are discharged and channeled to the Fire Victim Trust.
It is reported that about 1,500 Butte Fire survivors are still waiting to be paid in full by the Trust.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle
The Governor signs Assembly Bill 2700, which would require the Public Utilities Commission to identify pathways for full restitution for victims of fires sparked by PG&E from 2015 through 2018.
Source: The Mercury News
Litigation status
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, filed with the SEC.
Lawsuits over the Butte Fire were coordinated in Sacramento County Superior Court as the Butte Fire Cases, JCCP 4853. Individual plaintiffs and insurers filed master complaints on May 23, 2016 against PG&E and its two vegetation management contractors. PG&E reported more than 600 individual plaintiffs in early 2016 and about 3,900, representing about 2,000 households, by January 2019. On June 22, 2017 the court ruled that inverse condemnation applied to the utility. On July 2, 2018 the Third District Court of Appeal, in case C085308, directed the trial court to deny the plaintiffs' claim for punitive damages under Civil Code section 3294; requests for rehearing and for review by the California Supreme Court were denied. PG&E reported settlements of $904 million as of December 31, 2018, with $874 million paid. CAL FIRE sued on April 13, 2017 to recover $87 million in firefighting costs. Calaveras County settled its claims in November 2018 for $25.4 million. A trial for some individual plaintiffs was set for April 1, 2019, but PG&E filed for Chapter 11 protection on January 29, 2019 and the coordinated action was stayed the next day. PG&E reported that the remaining Butte Fire claims were satisfied and discharged under its plan during the third quarter of 2020; fire victim claims were channeled to the Fire Victim Trust. Under a settlement with state agencies, CAL FIRE's claims for all PG&E fires were allowed at $115.3 million, payable by the Trust. The Sacramento Bee reported in December 2018 that Calaveras County chose not to file criminal charges. We have not found a published decision by the Amador County District Attorney.
Resolved means that the court cases over this fire were settled or were ended by PG&E's bankruptcy plan. It does not mean every claimant has been paid in full, and nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. v. Superior Court (Butte Fire Cases), opinion filed July 2, 2018 , California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District (Case C085308; Superior Court JCCP 4853)
- Citation E.17-04-001, $8 million (April 25, 2017) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case E.17-04-001)
- Citation E.17-04-002, $300,000 (April 25, 2017) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case E.17-04-002)
- Incident investigation report, Butte Fire (March 29, 2017) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case E20150916-01)
- CAL FIRE investigation report, Butte Incident, redacted , CAL FIRE, published by the CPUC (Case 15CAAEU024918)
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2018: 2015 Butte fire , PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
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. If you have questions about yours, contact us and we will help.
Key figures on the public record
Each figure below was published by the court, agency, or company named beside it, on the date shown. These describe the case and the disaster, not any individual’s situation.
| Figure | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned | 70,868 | CAL FIRE, April 28, 2016 |
| Structures destroyed and damaged, regulator's count | 921 destroyed, 44 damaged | California Public Utilities Commission, April 25, 2017 |
| Structures destroyed, CAL FIRE incident page | 965 | CAL FIRE, October 1, 2026 |
| Deaths | 2 | CAL FIRE, April 28, 2016 |
| Individual plaintiffs in the coordinated cases | About 3,900, about 2,000 households | PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, January 28, 2019 |
| Settlements agreed and paid | $904 million agreed, $874 million paid | PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, December 31, 2018 |
| Calaveras County settlement | $25.4 million | PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, November 30, 2018 |
| CPUC citations | $8.3 million in two citations | California Public Utilities Commission, April 25, 2017 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Butte Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Oct 1, 2026‘A major win’: Newsom signs bill to facilitate full compensation for Northern California wildfire survivorsThe Mercury News
- Aug 23, 2021‘They need help now:’ In Gold Country, PG&E fire victims have waited 6 years for paymentSan Francisco Chronicle
- Dec 21, 2018PG&E broke laws in 12 NorCal wildfires, Cal Fire found. Prosecutors may not file chargesThe Sacramento Bee
- Nov 13, 2018PG&E to pay Calaveras County $25.4 million for 2015 Butte FireThe Sacramento Bee
- Feb 14, 2018Calaveras County plans to sue PG&E over Butte FireSan Francisco Chronicle
- Apr 28, 2016Cal Fire blames PG&E for Butte Fire, will seek $90 millionThe Sacramento Bee
- Apr 28, 2016State blames PG&E for Butte Fire, seeks at least $90 millionSFGate
- Apr 28, 2016Cal Fire seeks $90M from PG&E over deadly Butte FireKCRA
- Oct 27, 2015PG&E sued over death in Butte FireKCRA
- Sep 20, 2015All Butte Fire evacuations lifted in Calaveras CountyKCRA
- Sep 12, 2015Butte Fire forces evacuations in Amador, Calaveras countiesSFGate
Common questions about the Butte Fire
What caused the Butte Fire?
CAL FIRE announced on April 28, 2016 that the Butte Fire was sparked by a tree that came into contact with a Pacific Gas and Electric Company power line near Butte Mountain Road in Amador County on September 9, 2015. Its investigation report, case number 15CAAEU024918, identifies the tree as a gray pine. State utility regulators cited PG&E in April 2017 for failing to identify that tree as a hazard. PG&E has accepted that the tree contacted its line and has disputed that its vegetation management program fell short.
Is there litigation over the Butte Fire?
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, filed with the SEC.
What areas did the Butte Fire affect?
The Butte Fire (Amador & Calaveras Counties) affected communities including Mountain Ranch, Mokelumne Hill, Glencoe, West Point, Wilseyville, Pine Grove.
How large was the Butte Fire?
70,868 acres, 921 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Butte Fire?
CAL FIRE determined that the 2015 Butte Fire in Amador and Calaveras counties, California was sparked when a tree came into contact with a Pacific Gas and Electric Company power line near Butte Mountain Road on September 9, 2015. It announced the finding on April 28, 2016.
How much did PG&E pay for the Butte Fire?
PG&E reported that it had agreed to $904 million in settlements over the 2015 Butte Fire as of December 31, 2018, and had paid $874 million of that. It separately settled with Calaveras County for $25.4 million and was fined $8.3 million by the California Public Utilities Commission's safety staff.
Did the Butte Fire cases go to trial?
No. A trial for some plaintiffs in the Butte Fire Cases was set for April 1, 2019 in Sacramento County Superior Court, but PG&E filed for bankruptcy on January 29, 2019 and the cases were stayed. Remaining claims were discharged under PG&E's plan in 2020 and sent to the Fire Victim Trust.
Could Butte Fire plaintiffs seek punitive damages from PG&E?
Not under the Civil Code. On July 2, 2018 the California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District, ruled in case C085308 that plaintiffs in the 2015 Butte Fire cases could not pursue punitive damages against PG&E under Civil Code section 3294. It did not decide the question under Public Utilities Code section 2106.
How many homes did the Butte Fire destroy?
The 2015 Butte Fire destroyed 549 homes, 368 outbuildings and 4 commercial properties, 921 structures in all, and damaged 44 more, according to the California Public Utilities Commission's citation. It burned 70,868 acres and killed two people.
Sources
- CAL FIRE investigators determine cause of destructive Butte Fire (April 28, 2016), archived copy, CAL FIRE
- CAL FIRE investigation report 15CAAEU024918, redacted, CAL FIRE, published by the CPUC
- Electric safety citations, including the two Butte Fire citations, California Public Utilities Commission
- Pacific Gas and Electric Co. v. Superior Court, C085308, California Court of Appeal, Third Appellate District
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2018, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2019, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2020, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Butte Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Disaster declaration DR-4240-CA, FEMA
- Fire Victim Trust, PG&E Fire Victim Trust
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.