The Nuns Fire (2017) was a California wildfire in Sonoma & Napa Counties, with 56,556 acres, 1,355 structures destroyed, 3 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Fire Victim Trust.
The Nuns Fire was the name given to six fires that started within days of each other in October 2017 and burned together across the Sonoma Valley. Together they destroyed 1,355 structures and killed three people.
CAL FIRE traced each of them to power lines. The Nuns Fire itself began when a tree top broke onto a line near Glen Ellen; three others began when trees fell into PG&E lines; one began when PG&E tried to restore power to a downed line. Four of the component fires were referred to prosecutors. In March 2019 the district attorneys of Sonoma and Napa counties said they would not file charges.
Claims are not being tried in court. PG&E filed for bankruptcy in January 2019, and its reorganization plan, effective July 1, 2020, sent fire victims' claims to the Fire Victim Trust. The Trust pays claims from the 2017 North Bay fires, the 2018 Camp Fire and the 2015 Butte Fire together and publishes combined figures only: $19.57 billion awarded and $13.72 billion paid as of August 31, 2026, at 70 percent of approved claim value, with a final 1.25 percent distribution announced for October 14, 2026.
Local governments settled separately: in June 2019 PG&E agreed to pay $415 million to a group of public entities affected by the 2017 fires, including Sonoma and Napa counties. State regulators approved $1.937 billion in penalties in May 2020 covering the 2017 fires and the Camp Fire.
CAL FIRE publishes three acreage figures for this fire: 56,556 in its 2018 announcement, 54,382 on its Top 20 list and 44,573 on its incident page. They reflect different ways of counting the merged fires.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2017 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2017-10-08 |
| Containment date | 2017-10-31 |
| Region / counties | Sonoma, Napa |
| Acreage | 56,556 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,355 |
| Structures damaged | 172 |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | Nuns Fire claims were resolved through PG&E's Chapter 11 plan: a stated $13.5 billion for fire victims paid through the Fire Victim Trust, and $415 million to a group of 2017 fire public entities under a June 2019 settlement. The Trust reports $19.57 billion awarded and $13.72 billion paid across all its fires as of August 31, 2026. No figure for this fire alone is published. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
CAL FIRE announced on June 8, 2018 that the Nuns Fire was caused by the broken top of a tree coming in contact with a power line. State utility regulators identified the line as part of PG&E's Dunbar distribution circuit at Nuns Canyon Road near Glen Ellen. What is called the Nuns Fire is several fires that merged. CAL FIRE found that the Norrbom, Adobe and Partrick fires started when trees fell into PG&E power lines, and that the Pythian Fire near Oakmont started from a downed power line after PG&E tried to re-energize it. It referred those four component fires to district attorneys, citing evidence of alleged violations of state law, but not the Nuns Fire itself. No charges were filed.
What happened
The Nuns Fire started on the night of October 8, 2017 in the hills above Glen Ellen, on the same night as the Tubbs and Atlas fires. Over the following days it merged with the Adobe, Norrbom, Partrick, Pressley and Pythian fires and burned through the Sonoma Valley from Kenwood and Glen Ellen toward the city of Sonoma and into Napa County. Three people died. The fire was declared fully contained on October 31, 2017. CAL FIRE's announcement of the cause gave 56,556 acres and 1,355 structures destroyed for the merged fires; its Top 20 list gives 54,382 acres.
Nuns Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Nuns Fire starts near Nuns Canyon Road, Glen Ellen; the Adobe, Norrbom and Partrick fires start the same night.
Source: California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
Federal major disaster DR-4344-CA is declared.
Source: FEMA
The Tubbs, Nuns and Pocket fires are declared fully contained.
Source: The Press Democrat
CAL FIRE announces the causes of 12 October 2017 fires, including the Nuns Fire and its component fires.
PG&E files for Chapter 11 protection, staying the 2017 fire lawsuits coordinated in San Francisco County Superior Court.
The Sonoma, Napa, Humboldt and Lake county district attorneys announce they will not prosecute PG&E over the 2017 fires.
Source: The Press Democrat
PG&E agrees to pay $415 million to 2017 fire public entities, including Sonoma and Napa counties.
PG&E reaches the $13.5 billion agreement covering individual claims from the 2017 fires and the Camp Fire.
The CPUC adopts Decision 20-05-019, imposing $1.937 billion in penalties for the 2017 and 2018 fires plus a suspended $200 million fine.
PG&E's plan takes effect and the Fire Victim Trust is established and funded.
Source: PG&E Fire Victim Trust
The Trustee announces a final 1.25 percent distribution for October 14, 2026.
Source: PG&E Fire Victim Trust
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 Fire Victim Trust.
Before PG&E's bankruptcy, the company knew of about 750 complaints on behalf of at least 3,800 plaintiffs over the 2017 Northern California wildfires as a group, coordinated in San Francisco County Superior Court. PG&E filed for Chapter 11 protection on January 29, 2019, case 19-30088, which stayed those suits. On June 18, 2019 it agreed to pay $415 million to public entities affected by the 2017 fires. Its reorganization plan, confirmed June 20, 2020 and effective July 1, 2020, resolved wildfire claims in three groups for the 2017 fires, the Camp Fire and the Butte Fire together: $11 billion to insurers, $1 billion to public entities and a stated $13.5 billion for fire victims, paid through the Fire Victim Trust. The Trust reports that all determinations have been issued; as of August 31, 2026 it had awarded $19.57 billion and paid $13.72 billion. No criminal charges were filed over the Nuns Fire or its component fires. The California Public Utilities Commission's safety staff found one violation of General Order 95 in connection with the Nuns Fire, which they said did not directly contribute to the ignition, and on May 7, 2020 the Commission adopted Decision 20-05-019, resolving its investigation of the 2017 and 2018 fires with $1.937 billion in penalties and a further $200 million fine whose payment was permanently suspended.
Resolved means that matters over this fire have been settled or closed on the public record. It says nothing about any individual situation. Figures shown for the Trust cover several fires together.
Court & regulatory record
- Incident investigation report, Nuns Fire, with CAL FIRE report 17CALNU010049, redacted , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case E20171016-01)
- Decision 20-05-019, approving the settlement of the 2017 and 2018 wildfire investigation , California Public Utilities Commission (Case I.19-06-015)
- CAL FIRE Investigators Determine Causes of 12 Wildfires (June 8, 2018), archived copy , CAL FIRE
- Fire Victim Trust: payments and awards , PG&E Fire Victim Trust
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2019: 2017 Northern California wildfires , PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC (Case Bankruptcy case 19-30088)
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, merged fires | 56,556 | CAL FIRE, June 8, 2018 |
| Acres burned, Top 20 list | 54,382 | CAL FIRE, August 4, 2026 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,355 | CAL FIRE, October 24, 2022 |
| Deaths | 3 | CAL FIRE, June 8, 2018 |
| Stated value for fire victim claims, three fire groups together | $13.5 billion | PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, December 6, 2019 |
| Settlement with 2017 fire public entities | $415 million | PG&E Corporation Form 10-K, June 18, 2019 |
| CPUC penalties, 2017 and 2018 fires together | $1.937 billion, plus a suspended $200 million fine | California Public Utilities Commission, Decision 20-05-019, May 7, 2020 |
| Awarded by the Fire Victim Trust, all fires | $19.57 billion | PG&E Fire Victim Trust, August 31, 2026 |
| Paid by the Fire Victim Trust, all fires | $13.72 billion | PG&E Fire Victim Trust, August 31, 2026 |
| Pro rata payment percentage | 70 percent; final 1.25 percent announced for October 14, 2026 | PG&E Fire Victim Trust, September 10, 2026 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Nuns 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 18, 2026Camp Fire victims trust nears final payout, leaving many short of full awardsKRCR
- Sep 30, 2022Ex-PG&E execs to pay $117M to settle lawsuit over wildfiresAssociated Press, via KPBS
- Aug 12, 2019Northern California Wildfire Victims Can File Claims With PG&EAssociated Press, via KQED
- Jun 26, 2019Notice Plan and Deadline for Wildfire Claims Set in PG&E BankruptcyCourthouse News Service
- Mar 12, 2019Sonoma County DA: No criminal charges for PG&E in 2017 wildfiresThe Press Democrat
- Nov 2, 2017A Forest of LawsuitsKQED
- Oct 31, 2017Tubbs, Nuns, Pocket fires fully contained in Sonoma and Napa countiesThe Press Democrat
Common questions about the Nuns Fire
What caused the Nuns Fire?
CAL FIRE announced on June 8, 2018 that the Nuns Fire was caused by the broken top of a tree coming in contact with a power line. State utility regulators identified the line as part of PG&E's Dunbar distribution circuit at Nuns Canyon Road near Glen Ellen. What is called the Nuns Fire is several fires that merged. CAL FIRE found that the Norrbom, Adobe and Partrick fires started when trees fell into PG&E power lines, and that the Pythian Fire near Oakmont started from a downed power line after PG&E tried to re-energize it. It referred those four component fires to district attorneys, citing evidence of alleged violations of state law, but not the Nuns Fire itself. No charges were filed.
Is there litigation over the Nuns Fire?
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Fire Victim Trust.
What areas did the Nuns Fire affect?
The Nuns Fire (Sonoma & Napa Counties) affected communities including Glen Ellen, Kenwood, Sonoma, Oakmont.
How large was the Nuns Fire?
56,556 acres, 1,355 structures destroyed, 3 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Nuns Fire?
CAL FIRE determined that the 2017 Nuns Fire in Sonoma County, California was caused by the broken top of a tree coming in contact with a power line near Glen Ellen. It announced that on June 8, 2018, along with findings that the Norrbom, Adobe and Partrick fires, which merged into the Nuns Fire, were caused by trees falling into PG&E power lines.
How big was the Nuns Fire?
CAL FIRE gave 56,556 acres and 1,355 structures destroyed for the merged Nuns Fire in its June 2018 announcement, and its Top 20 Most Destructive list gives 54,382 acres. Three people died. The fire started on October 8, 2017 and was declared fully contained on October 31, 2017.
Was PG&E charged over the Nuns Fire?
No. CAL FIRE referred four fires that merged into the Nuns Fire to district attorneys, but on March 12, 2019 the district attorneys of Sonoma, Napa, Humboldt and Lake counties announced they would not prosecute PG&E over the October 2017 fires.
How are Nuns Fire claims paid?
Nuns Fire claims against PG&E are paid by the Fire Victim Trust, created by PG&E's bankruptcy plan, which took effect on July 1, 2020. The Trust pays claims from the 2017 North Bay fires, the 2018 Camp Fire and the 2015 Butte Fire and publishes combined figures only: $19.57 billion awarded and $13.72 billion paid as of August 31, 2026.
Sources
- Nuns, Adobe, Norrbom, Pressley, Partrick and Oakmont fires (Central LNU Complex) incident record, CAL FIRE
- Incident investigation report E20171016-01, Nuns Fire, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- Sonoma County DA: No criminal charges for PG&E in 2017 wildfires, The Press Democrat
- CAL FIRE Investigators Determine Causes of 12 Wildfires (June 8, 2018), archived copy, CAL FIRE
- Form 8-K, June 8, 2018, on the CAL FIRE findings, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2019, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Decision 20-05-019, California Public Utilities Commission
- Report on the October 2017 Fire Siege, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- Fire Victim Trust: payments and awards, PG&E Fire Victim Trust
- Top 20 lists and annual statistics, linked from CAL FIRE Statistics, CAL FIRE
- Disaster declaration DR-4344-CA, FEMA
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.