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Robertson & Associates was representing people affected by the Coastal Fire
Status as of June 15, 2026. Please confirm current status with the firm.
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The Coastal Fire (2022) was a California wildfire in Orange County, with 200 acres, 20 structures destroyed, 0 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per Edison International Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC. Robertson & Associates was representing people affected by this fire as of June 15, 2026.
The Coastal Fire was small by California standards, about 200 acres, and it was over in six days. What made it notable was where it went: straight up a canyon wall into a hilltop neighborhood of Laguna Niguel, where it destroyed 20 homes and damaged 11 on its first afternoon.
The cause is now on the record. The Orange County Fire Authority found the fire was unintentionally caused by sparks from overhead Southern California Edison equipment. That finding became public in 2024, through Edison's own financial filings and through the Orange County Register.
The litigation has moved in pieces. Homeowners sued within a week of the fire. The County of Orange sued in October 2023 and settled in February 2025. Edison reports that the insurers' claims are settled too. The claims of individual plaintiffs are the part still open: Edison's most recent quarterly report says those complaints remain and that no trial is scheduled.
No settlement figure for homeowners or insurers has been published. The one public number, $18.125 million, covers the County's damages from two fires together, the Coastal Fire and the 2020 Silverado Fire, and the share for each has not been published.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2022-05-11 |
| Containment date | 2022-05-17 |
| Region / counties | Orange |
| Acreage | 200 |
| Structures destroyed | 20 |
| Structures damaged | 11 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved Southern California Edison settlement offers totaling $18.125 million on February 11, 2025, covering county damages from both the 2020 Silverado Fire and the 2022 Coastal Fire. The share for the Coastal Fire has not been published. No settlement amount for homeowners or insurers has been published. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
The Orange County Fire Authority led the investigation. Southern California Edison told the Securities and Exchange Commission that in September 2024 it received the Fire Authority's report, which finds that the Coastal Fire was unintentionally caused by sparks from overhead SCE electrical equipment igniting vegetation under the equipment. The Orange County Register, which obtained the report, described it as dated March 2024 and as citing an unspecified electrical event involving an Edison power line. A fire agency finding of cause is not a court finding of liability. SCE says its own investigation remains ongoing. On the day of the fire, SCE had reported to state regulators that it recorded circuit activity close in time to the fire, on a 12 kV circuit, with the cause listed as unknown.
What happened
The Coastal Fire was reported at about 2:45 PM on May 11, 2022 in Aliso Woods Canyon, near a wastewater treatment plant, and ran uphill on ocean winds into the Coronado Pointe neighborhood of Laguna Niguel. It burned about 200 acres, destroyed 20 homes and damaged 11. Two firefighters had minor injuries and no deaths were reported. Mandatory evacuation orders covered about 900 homes. Most were lifted on May 13, the fire was fully contained on May 17, and all remaining evacuations were lifted on May 18.
Coastal Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Coastal Fire is reported in Aliso Woods Canyon and burns uphill into Coronado Pointe in Laguna Niguel.
Source: CAL FIRE
SCE reports to the CPUC that it recorded circuit activity close in time to the fire.
Source: SCE report filed with the California Public Utilities Commission
Mandatory evacuation orders for about 900 homes are lifted; orders remain on Coronado Pointe and nearby streets.
Source: CBS News Los Angeles
The fire is fully contained.
Source: CAL FIRE
Homeowners and evacuees file a lawsuit against Southern California Edison.
Source: ABC7 Los Angeles
All remaining evacuations are lifted.
Source: FOX 11 Los Angeles
SCE says an electrical component connecting two power lines near the fire showed signs of damage, and that it is not known whether it contributed to the start of the fire.
Source: NBC Los Angeles
The County of Orange sues SCE in Orange County Superior Court over the Coastal Fire.
Source: County of Orange
The Orange County Register reports the fire agency investigation report attributing the fire to an electrical event involving an Edison power line.
Source: Orange County Register
Orange County supervisors approve SCE settlement offers totaling $18.125 million for county damages from the Silverado and Coastal fires.
Source: Orange County Register
SCE reports that insurer and County claims are settled, that individual complaints remain, and that no trials are scheduled.
Source: Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
Litigation status
Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per Edison International Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
Homeowners and evacuees sued Southern California Edison on May 17, 2022, six days after the fire began. On October 2, 2023 the County of Orange filed its own lawsuit against SCE in Orange County Superior Court, alleging that utility infrastructure was the cause and origin of the fire and seeking to recover public costs. On February 11, 2025 the Orange County Board of Supervisors approved SCE settlement offers totaling $18.125 million for county damages from the Silverado and Coastal fires together. In its report for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, Edison states that SCE has settled the subrogation plaintiff claims, which are claims brought by insurers, and the claims brought by the County of Orange; that individual plaintiffs have also filed complaints against SCE; and that as of July 23, 2026 no trials are scheduled in the Coastal Fire litigation. The same report states that the safety division of the California Public Utilities Commission issued a notice of violation in 2025 with respect to the Coastal Fire. We have not found that notice, or any penalty tied to it, published by the Commission itself.
This entry reports only what the public record shows as of the status date. That some claims have settled says nothing about any other claim, and nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Robertson & Associates, Coastal Fire case page , Robertson & Associates, LLP
- SCE Electric Safety Incident Report No. 220511-15162, Coastal Fire (May 11, 2022) , Filed with the California Public Utilities Commission
- Press release: Orange County Seeks Taxpayer Losses in Two Recent Utility-Caused Wildfires (October 3, 2023) , County of Orange
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026: 2022 Coastal Fire , Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025: 2022 Coastal Fire , Edison International and Southern California Edison, 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Homes destroyed | 20 | Orange County Fire Authority, as reported in Edison International Form 10-Q, June 30, 2026 |
| Homes damaged | 11 | Orange County Fire Authority, as reported in Edison International Form 10-Q, June 30, 2026 |
| Homes under mandatory evacuation | About 900 | CBS News Los Angeles, May 13, 2022 |
| Suppression cost, estimated by fire authorities | About $3 million | Edison International Form 10-Q, June 30, 2026 |
| County settlement, Silverado and Coastal fires combined | $18.125 million | Orange County Register, February 11, 2025 |
| Trials scheduled | None | Edison International Form 10-Q, July 23, 2026 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Coastal Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Feb 11, 2025OC supervisors approve settlement of 2 fire lawsuits with SCEOrange County Register
- Oct 8, 2024‘Electrical event’ involving SCE power line caused destructive 2022 fire in Laguna Niguel, OCFA report claimsOrange County Register
- Oct 4, 2023Orange County files lawsuits alleging SoCal Edison equipment sparked 2020 and 2022 wildfiresCBS News Los Angeles
- Jun 4, 2022Coastal Fire: SoCal Edison Says Electrical Component Showed Signs of DamageNBC Los Angeles
- May 19, 2022Lawsuit alleges SoCal Edison 'created perfect storm' that led to Laguna Niguel fireABC7 Los Angeles
- May 18, 2022Laguna Niguel fire: 'Coastal Fire' torches homes, all evacuations liftedFOX 11 Los Angeles
- May 18, 2022Homeowners sue SoCal Edison over Laguna Niguel fire that destroyed more than 20 homesKTLA 5
- May 13, 2022Evacuation orders lifted for most homes affected by Laguna Niguel wildfireCBS News Los Angeles
- Coastal Fire: Lawsuit claims SoCal Edison equipment sparked Orange County fireABC 10News San Diego
Common questions about the Coastal Fire
What caused the Coastal Fire?
The Orange County Fire Authority led the investigation. Southern California Edison told the Securities and Exchange Commission that in September 2024 it received the Fire Authority's report, which finds that the Coastal Fire was unintentionally caused by sparks from overhead SCE electrical equipment igniting vegetation under the equipment. The Orange County Register, which obtained the report, described it as dated March 2024 and as citing an unspecified electrical event involving an Edison power line. A fire agency finding of cause is not a court finding of liability. SCE says its own investigation remains ongoing. On the day of the fire, SCE had reported to state regulators that it recorded circuit activity close in time to the fire, on a 12 kV circuit, with the cause listed as unknown.
Is there litigation over the Coastal Fire?
Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per Edison International Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC. Robertson & Associates was representing people affected by this fire as of June 15, 2026.
What areas did the Coastal Fire affect?
The Coastal Fire (Orange County) affected communities including Laguna Niguel, Coronado Pointe, Aliso Woods Canyon.
How large was the Coastal Fire?
200 acres, 20 structures destroyed, 0 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
When did the Coastal Fire start and how big was it?
The Coastal Fire started on the afternoon of May 11, 2022 in Aliso Woods Canyon in Orange County, California, and burned into the Coronado Pointe neighborhood of Laguna Niguel. It burned about 200 acres, destroyed 20 homes, damaged 11, and was fully contained on May 17, 2022.
Was Southern California Edison found to have caused the Coastal Fire?
The Orange County Fire Authority found that the 2022 Coastal Fire in Laguna Niguel was unintentionally caused by sparks from overhead Southern California Edison electrical equipment igniting vegetation beneath it. SCE disclosed that finding in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. That is a fire agency finding of cause, not a court judgment.
Has the Coastal Fire lawsuit settled?
Part of the Coastal Fire litigation has settled. Southern California Edison reports that it has settled the claims of insurers and of the County of Orange. Edison also reports that individual plaintiffs have filed complaints and that, as of July 23, 2026, no trials are scheduled. No settlement amount for homeowners or insurers has been published.
How much did Orange County receive from Southern California Edison?
The Orange County Board of Supervisors approved Southern California Edison settlement offers totaling $18.125 million on February 11, 2025. That figure covers county damages from two fires together, the 2020 Silverado Fire and the 2022 Coastal Fire, and the share for the Coastal Fire has not been published.
How many homes were evacuated in the Coastal Fire?
Mandatory evacuation orders in the 2022 Coastal Fire covered about 900 homes in Laguna Niguel, California. Most orders were lifted on May 13, 2022 and all remaining evacuations were lifted on May 18, 2022.
Sources
- Coastal Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025, Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- SCE Electric Safety Incident Report No. 220511-15162, California Public Utilities Commission
- Orange County Seeks Taxpayer Losses in Two Recent Utility-Caused Wildfires, County of Orange
- ‘Electrical event’ involving SCE power line caused destructive 2022 fire in Laguna Niguel, OCFA report claims, Orange County Register
- OC supervisors approve settlement of 2 fire lawsuits with SCE, Orange County Register
- Evacuation orders lifted for most homes affected by Laguna Niguel wildfire, CBS News Los Angeles
- Lawsuit alleges SoCal Edison 'created perfect storm' that led to Laguna Niguel brush fire, ABC7 Los Angeles
- Orange County files lawsuits alleging SoCal Edison's equipment sparked wildfires in 2020 and 2022, CBS News Los Angeles
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.