2022Photo: Robertson & Associates, Used with permission of Robertson & Associates, source
Robertson & Associates was representing people affected by the Fairview Fire
Status as of June 15, 2026. Please confirm current status with the firm.
If your home or business was affected by the Fairview Fire, send your details and the firm will follow up. No cost to ask, no obligation.
Attorney advertising by Robertson & Associates, CA State Bar No. 127042. General information, not legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is formed by sending this. Past results do not guarantee future outcomes.
The Fairview Fire (2022) was a California wildfire in Riverside County, with 28,098 acres, 36 structures destroyed, 2 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. Robertson & Associates was representing people affected by this fire as of June 15, 2026.
The Fairview Fire started on Labor Day 2022 on the edge of Hemet and killed two people within hours as they tried to get out. It went on to burn about 28,000 acres, nearly half of it inside the San Bernardino National Forest.
The cause has been determined. CAL FIRE concluded that a Southern California Edison power line made contact with a communication cable strung beneath it. The state utilities regulator restated that finding when it cited SCE in March 2025 and imposed a $2.2 million penalty, part of it for clearance violations and part of it for failing to cooperate with the investigation.
Several kinds of plaintiff have gone to court: families who lost homes, the City of Hemet, insurers, and in September 2025 the United States, which is seeking about $37 million for Forest Service costs and damage. Edison reports that the insurers' claims are settled. The rest is unresolved on the public record.
One thing we cannot tell you is what happened to the trial. Edison reported in February 2026 that a jury trial for individual plaintiffs was set for June 2026. Its next quarterly report, filed July 30, 2026, no longer mentions a trial date and does not say why. We have found no public report of a trial, a postponement or a settlement, so we record it as unknown.
Official sources disagree on the totals. CAL FIRE and the utilities regulator give 28,098 acres; Riverside County Fire gave 28,307 in its final update. The regulator counts 36 structures destroyed and 8 damaged; Edison, citing CAL FIRE, counts 22 homes destroyed, 5 homes damaged and 17 minor structures destroyed or damaged.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2022 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2022-09-05 |
| Containment date | 2022-09-23 |
| Region / counties | Riverside |
| Acreage | 28,098 |
| Structures destroyed | 36 |
| Structures damaged | 8 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | Southern California Edison reports that it has settled the subrogation plaintiff claims, which are claims brought by insurers. No amount has been published. No settlement with individual plaintiffs, the City of Hemet or the United States has been reported. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
CAL FIRE investigated the Fairview Fire. Its report is not published on its own website, but its conclusion is restated in a citation issued by the California Public Utilities Commission on March 21, 2025: the cause was contact and arcing between a Southern California Edison electrical line conductor and a messenger cable owned by Frontier Communications, and CAL FIRE determined that insufficient clearance between the two caused the contact. SCE told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it received the CAL FIRE report in November 2023, and that the report finds a sagging SCE conductor came in contact with a communication line, causing sparks to fall and ignite vegetation. A fire agency finding of cause is not a court finding of liability, and SCE says its own investigation remains ongoing. CAL FIRE's public incident page still shows the cause as under investigation.
What happened
The Fairview Fire was reported at 3:37 PM on September 5, 2022 near Fairview Avenue and Bautista Road, outside Hemet in Riverside County. Two residents were killed as they tried to flee and a third was injured; two firefighters were also injured. Thousands of people were evacuated in and around Hemet. All evacuation orders had been lifted by September 15, and Riverside County Fire reported the fire 100 percent contained on September 23, 2022. The state regulator later recorded 28,098 acres burned, 36 structures destroyed, including 22 single family homes, and 8 structures damaged.
Fairview Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Fairview Fire is reported at 3:37 PM near Fairview Avenue and Bautista Road outside Hemet. Two civilians die.
Source: Riverside County Fire Department
All evacuation orders are reported lifted, with containment at 84 percent.
Source: NBC Palm Springs
A first group of Fairview Fire victims sues SCE.
Source: KESQ
Riverside County Fire reports the fire 100 percent contained.
Source: Riverside County Fire Department
A further group of families sues SCE in Los Angeles Superior Court.
Source: KESQ
It is reported that the City of Hemet has sued SCE over the fire.
Source: Associated Press, via KTLA 5
It is reported that CAL FIRE's investigation found a sagging SCE line contacted a communication line and ignited the fire.
Source: KVCR News
The CPUC cites SCE for three violations of General Order 95 and imposes a $2,200,000 penalty.
Source: California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
The United States sues SCE over the Fairview Fire, seeking about $37 million.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California
Edison's annual report for 2025, with litigation information current as of February 11, 2026, states that a jury trial for individual plaintiffs is set for June 2026.
Source: Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
Edison's quarterly report no longer lists a trial date and reports no outcome.
Source: Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
Litigation status
Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California.
A first group of Fairview Fire victims sued Southern California Edison on September 21, 2022. A further group of families filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on October 14, 2022, alleging negligence, nuisance and trespass. In February 2023 the City of Hemet sued SCE. On September 4, 2025 the United States sued SCE over the Fairview Fire, alleging that SCE failed to properly maintain its lines and failed to keep the minimum clearance between its power lines and a Frontier Communications cable; it seeks approximately $37 million in damages incurred by the Forest Service, including approximately $20 million in fire suppression costs. Edison states in its filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission that SCE has settled the subrogation plaintiff claims. Its annual report filed in February 2026 stated that a jury trial in the individual plaintiff litigation had been set for June 2026. Its report for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 no longer contains that sentence and does not report an outcome. Separately, on March 21, 2025 the safety division of the California Public Utilities Commission cited SCE for three violations of General Order 95 with a penalty of $2,200,000, and found a violation of Public Utilities Code Section 316 for which it imposed no monetary penalty. We have not found a public record of whether SCE paid or appealed that citation.
Allegations in a complaint are claims, not findings. This entry reports only what the public record shows as of the status date, and nothing here describes any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Robertson & Associates, Fairview Fire case page , Robertson & Associates, LLP
- Citation to Southern California Edison, Fairview Fire (March 21, 2025) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case D.16-09-055 W.25-03-001)
- United States Sues Southern California Edison Co. for Eaton and Fairview Fires (September 4, 2025) , U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026: 2022 Fairview Fire , Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025: 2022 Fairview Fire , Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Fairview Fire incident fact sheet , Riverside County Fire Department
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 | 28,098 | California Public Utilities Commission citation, March 21, 2025 |
| Acres burned, county final update | 28,307 | Riverside County Fire Department, September 23, 2022 |
| Structures destroyed | 36, including 22 single family homes | California Public Utilities Commission citation, March 21, 2025 |
| Structures damaged | 8, including 5 single family homes | California Public Utilities Commission citation, March 21, 2025 |
| Civilian deaths | 2 | California Public Utilities Commission citation, March 21, 2025 |
| CPUC penalty against SCE | $2,200,000 | California Public Utilities Commission citation, March 21, 2025 |
| Suppression cost, estimated | $38,850,000 | California Public Utilities Commission citation, March 21, 2025 |
| Damages sought by the United States | About $37 million | U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, September 4, 2025 |
| National forest land burned | Nearly 14,000 acres | U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, September 4, 2025 |
Video coverage
Broadcast and interview coverage of this fire and its litigation. Each video opens on the publisher’s own channel.
Fairview Fire victims file suit against Southern California Edison
Wildfire attorney Alex Robertson IV filed a lawsuit Thursday on behalf of three families impacted by the Fairview Fire, which burned near Hemet earlier this month and killed two people.
Videos are embedded from the publisher’s own channel and remain their work. A segment about this litigation is reporting, not legal advice, and does not describe any individual’s situation.
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Fairview Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Sep 4, 2025Federal lawsuits filed against SoCal Edison over Eaton and Fairview firesNBC Los Angeles
- Sep 4, 2025Justice Department sues SoCal Edison over Eaton and Fairview firesCBS News Los Angeles
- Mar 25, 2025SoCal Edison fined $2.2 million for deadly Fairview Fire in HemetCBS News Los Angeles
- Nov 16, 2023A recent report shows that Southern California Edison is responsible for the 20-22 Fairview Fire near HemetKVCR News
- Feb 10, 2023Southern California Edison sued over deadly, destructive Hemet wildfireKTLA 5
- Oct 17, 2022New lawsuit filed against SCE over Fairview Fire In HemetKESQ
- Sep 24, 2022Fairview Fire victims sue Southern California Edison, alleging 'aging infrastructure' caused the blazeKTLA 5
Common questions about the Fairview Fire
What caused the Fairview Fire?
CAL FIRE investigated the Fairview Fire. Its report is not published on its own website, but its conclusion is restated in a citation issued by the California Public Utilities Commission on March 21, 2025: the cause was contact and arcing between a Southern California Edison electrical line conductor and a messenger cable owned by Frontier Communications, and CAL FIRE determined that insufficient clearance between the two caused the contact. SCE told the Securities and Exchange Commission that it received the CAL FIRE report in November 2023, and that the report finds a sagging SCE conductor came in contact with a communication line, causing sparks to fall and ignite vegetation. A fire agency finding of cause is not a court finding of liability, and SCE says its own investigation remains ongoing. CAL FIRE's public incident page still shows the cause as under investigation.
Is there litigation over the Fairview Fire?
Litigation filed. Status as of October 1, 2026, per U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California. Robertson & Associates was representing people affected by this fire as of June 15, 2026.
What areas did the Fairview Fire affect?
The Fairview Fire (Riverside County) affected communities including Hemet, East Hemet, Valle Vista, Bautista Canyon.
How large was the Fairview Fire?
28,098 acres, 36 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
When did the Fairview Fire start?
The Fairview Fire started on September 5, 2022. Riverside County Fire recorded the first report at 3:37 PM, near Fairview Avenue and Bautista Road outside Hemet, California, and reported the fire 100 percent contained on September 23, 2022.
What caused the Fairview Fire?
CAL FIRE concluded that the 2022 Fairview Fire near Hemet was caused by contact and arcing between a Southern California Edison electrical line conductor and a messenger cable owned by Frontier Communications, and that insufficient clearance between the two caused the contact. The California Public Utilities Commission restated that conclusion in a citation dated March 21, 2025.
Is there a Fairview Fire lawsuit against Southern California Edison?
Yes. Families affected by the Fairview Fire, the City of Hemet and insurers have all sued Southern California Edison, and on September 4, 2025 the United States filed its own lawsuit seeking about $37 million for Forest Service costs and damage. Edison reports that the insurers' claims are settled. No outcome has been reported for the other claims.
How much was Southern California Edison fined for the Fairview Fire?
The California Public Utilities Commission cited Southern California Edison on March 21, 2025 over the Fairview Fire and imposed a penalty of $2,200,000 for three violations of General Order 95, covering clearance requirements and cooperation with the investigation.
How many people died in the Fairview Fire?
Two civilians died in the Fairview Fire on September 5, 2022, the day it started near Hemet, California. One other civilian and two firefighters were injured, according to the California Public Utilities Commission and Edison's filings citing CAL FIRE.
What happened to the Fairview Fire trial set for June 2026?
It is not on the public record. Edison reported in February 2026 that a jury trial in the Fairview Fire individual plaintiff litigation was set for June 2026. Its report for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 no longer mentions a trial date and does not report an outcome, and we have found no public report of a trial, a postponement or a settlement.
Sources
- Fairview Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Fairview Fire incident fact sheet, Riverside County Fire Department
- Citation D.16-09-055 W.25-03-001 to Southern California Edison, Fairview Fire, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- United States Sues Southern California Edison Co., Seeking Tens of Millions of Dollars in Damages for Eaton and Fairview Fires, U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California
- 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
- New lawsuit filed against SCE over Fairview Fire In Hemet, KESQ
- Southern California Edison sued over deadly, destructive Hemet wildfire, Associated Press, via KTLA 5
- A recent report shows that Southern California Edison is responsible for the 20-22 Fairview Fire near Hemet, KVCR News
- Containment of Fairview Fire Rises to 84%, NBC Palm Springs
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.