The Silverado Fire (2020) was a California wildfire in Orange County, with 12,466 acres, 5 structures destroyed, 0 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per Edison International Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
The Silverado Fire burned 12,466 acres of Orange County in late October 2020. It destroyed only five structures, but it forced close to 80,000 people out of Irvine and Lake Forest and left two firefighters critically burned.
It started where two companies shared a pair of poles. Investigators concluded that a Southern California Edison power line and a T-Mobile communication line made contact. State regulators later found that Edison had not left the required clearance between the two when it replaced the poles the year before, and fined Edison $2,404,000. They found no violation by T-Mobile.
Both companies were sued, by the state fire agency in October 2022 and by the County of Orange in October 2023, alongside insurers and individuals. The County settled with Edison in February 2025 and with T-Mobile for $4.5 million in April 2025. Edison now reports that it has settled substantially all of the claims filed against it over the fire.
Two things are not on the public record. The County's $18.125 million from Edison covers this fire and the 2022 Coastal Fire together, and the split has not been published. And we have not found how the state fire agency's lawsuit, or T-Mobile's own claim against Edison, ended.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2020-10-26 |
| Containment date | 2020-11-07 |
| Region / counties | Orange |
| Acreage | 12,466 |
| Structures destroyed | 5 |
| Structures damaged | 9 |
| Fatalities | 0 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | The County of Orange approved Southern California Edison settlement offers totaling $18.125 million on February 11, 2025 for the Silverado and Coastal fires together, and a $4.5 million settlement with T-Mobile on April 8, 2025. Amounts paid to insurers and individuals are not public. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
The Orange County Fire Authority and CAL FIRE investigated. Southern California Edison told the Securities and Exchange Commission that their report concluded that contact between an SCE conductor and a T-Mobile line resulted in the ignition of the Silverado Fire. On the day of the fire, SCE had reported to state regulators that a lashing wire on a telecommunications line may have contacted its overhead conductor. The California Public Utilities Commission's safety division does not decide fire cause; it found that SCE had not installed its conductor and the T-Mobile line with the required clearance when it replaced the poles in 2019, cited SCE for it, and found no violation by T-Mobile. A fire agency finding of cause is not a court finding of liability.
What happened
The Silverado Fire broke out early on October 26, 2020 near Santiago Canyon Road and Silverado Canyon Road in Orange County, in Santa Ana winds, and burned toward Irvine. It led to evacuation orders for about 70,000 people in Irvine and about 9,500 in Lake Forest. Two Orange County Fire Authority firefighters were critically burned that morning. CAL FIRE recorded the fire as contained on November 7, 2020, at 12,466 acres. It destroyed five structures and damaged nine others, and nobody was killed.
Silverado Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Silverado Fire breaks out near Santiago Canyon and Silverado Canyon roads; about 70,000 people in Irvine are ordered to evacuate.
Source: Orange County Register
SCE reports to the CPUC that a lashing wire on a telecommunications line may have contacted its conductor.
Source: SCE report filed with the California Public Utilities Commission
CAL FIRE records the fire as 100 percent contained at 12,466 acres.
Source: CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE sues SCE and T-Mobile, alleging equipment failures caused the fire.
Source: Orange County Register
The County of Orange sues SCE and T-Mobile in Orange County Superior Court.
Source: County of Orange
The CPUC safety division issues its investigation report and a notice of violation to SCE.
Source: California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
The CPUC cites SCE $2,404,000 for four violations of General Order 95.
Source: California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
Orange County supervisors approve $18.125 million from SCE for the Silverado and Coastal fires together.
Source: Orange County Register
Orange County supervisors approve a $4.5 million settlement with T-Mobile.
Source: Orange County Register
Edison reports that it has settled substantially all Silverado Fire claims.
Source: Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
Litigation status
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per Edison International Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
Multiple lawsuits over the Silverado Fire named Southern California Edison as defendant: by individual plaintiffs, by insurers, by CAL FIRE, by T-Mobile, by the County of Orange and by the state emergency services office. CAL FIRE sued SCE and T-Mobile on October 20, 2022, alleging that arcing between an SCE conductor and a T-Mobile communication line ignited the fire. The County of Orange sued both companies in Orange County Superior Court on October 2, 2023. 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, and on April 8, 2025 it approved a $4.5 million settlement with T-Mobile. Edison's annual report for 2025 and its report for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 state that SCE has settled substantially all of the claims that were filed against it related to the Silverado Fire. That is the company's own disclosure, and substantially all is not all. On the regulatory side, the California Public Utilities Commission's safety division issued its investigation report and a notice of violation on October 10, 2023, and on February 5, 2024 it cited SCE $2,404,000 for four violations of General Order 95. Edison reports that it paid the fine in 2024.
Resolved means that matters over this fire have been settled or closed on the public record. It does not mean every claim is closed, and it says nothing about any individual situation.
Court & regulatory record
- Citation to Southern California Edison, Silverado Fire (February 5, 2024) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case D.16-09-055 E.24-02-001)
- Incident investigation report, Silverado Fire, redacted (October 10, 2023) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case E20201026-01)
- SCE Electric Safety Incident Report, Silverado Fire (October 26, 2020) , Filed with the California Public Utilities Commission (Case 201026-13677)
- Press release: Orange County Seeks Taxpayer Losses in Two Recent Utility-Caused Wildfires (October 3, 2023) , County of Orange
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025: 2020 Silverado Fire , Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026 , 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Acres burned | 12,466 | CAL FIRE, November 7, 2020 |
| Structures destroyed | 5 | CAL FIRE, October 21, 2022 |
| People ordered to evacuate | About 70,000 in Irvine and about 9,500 in Lake Forest | Orange County Register, April 8, 2025 |
| CPUC citation against SCE | $2,404,000 | California Public Utilities Commission, February 5, 2024 |
| County settlement with SCE, Silverado and Coastal fires combined | $18.125 million | Orange County Register, February 11, 2025 |
| County settlement with T-Mobile | $4.5 million | Orange County Register, April 8, 2025 |
| Suppression cost, estimated by fire authorities | About $20 million | Edison International Form 10-K, February 11, 2026 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Silverado Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Apr 8, 2025OC supervisors OK $4.5 million settlement with T-Mobile for its role in the 2020 Silverado fireOrange County Register
- Apr 8, 2025OC settles $4.5M from Silverado Fire, $10M from Airport FireSpectrum News 1
- Feb 11, 2025OC supervisors approve settlement of 2 fire lawsuits with SCEOrange County Register
- Oct 3, 2023Orange County sues Southern California Edison, T-Mobile over Coastal and Silverado firesLos Angeles Times
- Oct 3, 2023OC files lawsuits against Southern California Edison and T-Mobile for roles in ‘utility-caused’ wildfiresFOX 11 Los Angeles
- Oct 21, 2022State sues SCE and T-Mobile, saying they caused the Silverado fire in OC in 2020Orange County Register
- Nov 7, 2020Silverado fire 100% contained, Blue Ridge remains at 99% containmentOrange County Register
- Oct 26, 2020Silverado Fire may have been sparked by Southern California utility equipmentSan Francisco Chronicle
Common questions about the Silverado Fire
What caused the Silverado Fire?
The Orange County Fire Authority and CAL FIRE investigated. Southern California Edison told the Securities and Exchange Commission that their report concluded that contact between an SCE conductor and a T-Mobile line resulted in the ignition of the Silverado Fire. On the day of the fire, SCE had reported to state regulators that a lashing wire on a telecommunications line may have contacted its overhead conductor. The California Public Utilities Commission's safety division does not decide fire cause; it found that SCE had not installed its conductor and the T-Mobile line with the required clearance when it replaced the poles in 2019, cited SCE for it, and found no violation by T-Mobile. A fire agency finding of cause is not a court finding of liability.
Is there litigation over the Silverado Fire?
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per Edison International Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
What areas did the Silverado Fire affect?
The Silverado Fire (Orange County) affected communities including Irvine, Lake Forest, Silverado Canyon, Santiago Canyon, Foothill Ranch.
How large was the Silverado Fire?
12,466 acres, 5 structures destroyed, 0 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Silverado Fire?
The Orange County Fire Authority and CAL FIRE concluded that contact between a Southern California Edison conductor and a T-Mobile communication line resulted in the ignition of the 2020 Silverado Fire in Orange County, California, according to Edison's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
When did the Silverado Fire start?
The Silverado Fire started early on October 26, 2020 near Santiago Canyon Road and Silverado Canyon Road in Orange County, California. CAL FIRE recorded it as contained on November 7, 2020, at 12,466 acres.
Was the Silverado Fire lawsuit settled?
Largely, yes. The County of Orange settled its Silverado Fire lawsuit with Southern California Edison on February 11, 2025, as part of $18.125 million covering two fires, and settled with T-Mobile for $4.5 million on April 8, 2025. Edison reports that it has settled substantially all of the claims filed against it over the Silverado Fire.
Was Southern California Edison fined for the Silverado Fire?
Yes. The California Public Utilities Commission cited Southern California Edison $2,404,000 on February 5, 2024 for four violations of General Order 95 found in its Silverado Fire investigation, concerning the clearance between an SCE conductor and a communication line. Edison reports that it paid the fine in 2024.
How many people were evacuated in the Silverado Fire?
The 2020 Silverado Fire led to evacuation orders for about 70,000 people in Irvine and about 9,500 in Lake Forest, California. All Irvine evacuations had been lifted by October 28, 2020.
Sources
- Silverado Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- Citation D.16-09-055 E.24-02-001 to SCE, Silverado Fire, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- Incident investigation report E20201026-01, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- SCE Electric Safety Incident Report 201026-13677, California Public Utilities Commission
- Orange County Seeks Taxpayer Losses in Two Recent Utility-Caused Wildfires, County of Orange
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2025, Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- State sues SCE and T-Mobile, saying they caused the Silverado fire in OC in 2020, Orange County Register
- OC supervisors OK $4.5 million settlement with T-Mobile, Orange County Register
- OC supervisors approve settlement of 2 fire lawsuits with SCE, Orange County Register
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.