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The Thomas Fire (2017) was a California wildfire in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties, with 281,893 acres, 1,063 structures destroyed, 2 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 Thomas Fire burned 281,893 acres in December 2017 and was, for a time, the largest wildfire in modern California history. A month after it started, rain on the burned slopes above Montecito sent debris flows through the town and killed 23 people. The courts and regulators have treated the fire and the debris flows as one event.
Almost all of the litigation is over. Southern California Edison settled with local governments in 2019, with insurers in 2020 and with the United States in 2024, and it has settled with thousands of individuals. What remains is small and specific: Edison reported that, as of July 23, 2026, 9 lawsuits representing 21 individual plaintiffs were still pending over the Thomas and Koenigstein fires and the Montecito debris flows, with five households set for damages-only trials in 2027.
Regulators have closed their side too. The Public Utilities Commission approved a $550 million enforcement agreement covering five fires in December 2021, and in January 2025 it decided how the Thomas costs are split: customers pay about $1.627 billion of about $2.712 billion, and Edison absorbs the rest.
One caution about totals. Edison reports $9.707 billion paid in settlements through June 30, 2026, but that figure combines the Thomas and Koenigstein fires, the Montecito debris flows and the 2018 Woolsey Fire. No public source gives a settlement total for the Thomas Fire alone, and individual amounts are not public.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2017 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2017-12-04 |
| Containment date | 2018-01-12 |
| Region / counties | Ventura, Santa Barbara |
| Acreage | 281,893 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,063 |
| Structures damaged | 274 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | Published settlements: $360 million to 23 public entities for the Thomas Fire, the Montecito debris flows and the Woolsey Fire (November 2019); $1.16 billion to insurers in the Thomas, Koenigstein and Montecito litigation (September 2020); $80 million to the United States (February 2024). Amounts paid to individuals are not public. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
The Ventura County Fire Department, working with CAL FIRE and other agencies, announced on March 13, 2019 that the Thomas Fire was started when Southern California Edison power lines came into contact with each other during high winds in Anlauf Canyon, north of Santa Paula. On March 19, 2019 it announced that a second fire, the Koenigstein Fire, started about an hour later in Upper Ojai when an energized conductor separated and fell from a power pole. The two fires merged within hours and are treated as one. Both started on the same electrical circuit. Edison has not admitted wrongdoing or liability in any settlement, and its filings note that fire agency findings do not determine legal causation.
What happened
The Thomas Fire started on the evening of December 4, 2017 and burned for more than a month across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties. The Ventura County Fire Department counted 87,043 people evacuated as of December 8. A civilian and a firefighter died. CAL FIRE lists the fire as contained on January 12, 2018 at 281,893 acres, with 1,063 structures destroyed and 274 damaged. On January 9, 2018, intense rain on the burn area above Montecito triggered debris flows that killed 23 people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
Thomas Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Thomas Fire starts in Anlauf Canyon north of Santa Paula; the Koenigstein Fire starts about an hour later in Upper Ojai.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department
The Ventura County Fire Department counts 87,043 people evacuated.
Source: KQED
Debris flows from the burn area above Montecito kill 23 people.
Source: U.S. Geological Survey
CAL FIRE lists the fire as contained at 281,893 acres.
Source: CAL FIRE
The Ventura County Fire Department announces that SCE power lines contacting each other in high winds started the Thomas Fire.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department
The Ventura County Fire Department announces that a fallen energized conductor caused the Koenigstein Fire.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department
SCE agrees to pay $360 million to 23 public entities for the Thomas Fire, the Montecito debris flows and the Woolsey Fire.
Source: Courthouse News Service
SCE announces a $1.16 billion settlement with all insurance subrogation plaintiffs.
Source: Southern California Edison Form 8-K, filed with the SEC
The CPUC approves a $550 million agreement resolving its safety investigations into five fires including Thomas.
It is announced that SCE will pay the United States $80 million to resolve the Forest Service lawsuit.
Source: U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California
The CPUC allows SCE to recover about $1.627 billion of Thomas Fire and Montecito costs from customers.
Edison reports 9 pending lawsuits representing 21 individual plaintiffs, with five damages-only trials scheduled in 2027.
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.
Lawsuits over the Thomas and Koenigstein fires and the Montecito debris flows were filed in the superior courts of Ventura, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles counties by individuals, insurers and public entities, and are coordinated in the Los Angeles Superior Court. They allege, among other things, negligence, inverse condemnation, trespass and private nuisance. In November 2019 SCE agreed to pay $360 million to 23 public entities for the Thomas Fire, the debris flows and the Woolsey Fire. In September 2020 it announced a $1.16 billion settlement with all insurance subrogation plaintiffs in the Thomas, Koenigstein and Montecito litigation. In February 2024 it agreed to pay the United States $80 million for Forest Service suppression costs and damage to the Los Padres National Forest. Individual plaintiffs have been settling through a court mediation program: Edison reports about 13,800 individual settlements across its 2017 and 2018 fire and mudslide events as a whole. As of July 23, 2026, Edison reported 9 pending unsettled lawsuits representing 21 individual plaintiffs related to the Thomas and Koenigstein fires and the Montecito debris flows, that the court had denied class certification in the one lawsuit filed as a purported class action and the plaintiffs had appealed, and that five households' damages-only trials are scheduled in 2027. Claims by certain public entities, including the state emergency services office, were also outstanding. Edison states that it has not admitted wrongdoing or liability in any settlement. On the regulatory side, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a $550 million agreement on December 16, 2021 resolving its safety division's investigations into the Thomas and Woolsey fires and three other 2017 fires, and on January 30, 2025 it approved Decision 25-01-042, allowing SCE to recover about $1.627 billion of about $2.712 billion in Thomas Fire and Montecito costs from customers.
That most claims have settled says nothing about any claim that has not. 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, Thomas Fire case page , Robertson & Associates, LLP
- VCFD Determines Cause of the Thomas Fire (March 13, 2019) , Ventura County Fire Department
- Thomas Fire investigation report, redacted , CAL FIRE and Ventura County Fire Department (Case 17CAVNC103156)
- Decision 25-01-042, cost recovery for the 2017 Thomas Fire and 2018 Montecito debris flow , California Public Utilities Commission (Case A.23-08-013)
- Resolution SED-5, agreement regarding the 2017/2018 Southern California fires , California Public Utilities Commission
- Safety and Enforcement Division investigation report, Thomas Fire, redacted , California Public Utilities Commission
- Southern California Edison agrees to pay United States $80 million to resolve Thomas Fire lawsuit , 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
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 | 281,893 | CAL FIRE, January 12, 2018 |
| Structures destroyed | 1,063 | CAL FIRE, January 12, 2018 |
| Deaths in the Montecito debris flows | 23 | U.S. Geological Survey, June 7, 2019 |
| Settlement with 23 public entities, including Woolsey | $360 million | Courthouse News Service, November 13, 2019 |
| Settlement with insurers | $1.16 billion | Southern California Edison Form 8-K, September 23, 2020 |
| Settlement with the United States | $80 million | U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California, February 26, 2024 |
| CPUC enforcement agreement, five fires | $550 million | California Public Utilities Commission, December 16, 2021 |
| Thomas and Montecito costs customers will pay | About $1.627 billion of about $2.712 billion | California Public Utilities Commission, Decision 25-01-042, January 30, 2025 |
| Pending unsettled lawsuits and plaintiffs | 9 lawsuits, 21 individual plaintiffs | Edison International Form 10-Q, July 23, 2026 |
| Settlements paid, all 2017 and 2018 events including Woolsey | $9.707 billion | Edison International Form 10-Q, June 30, 2026 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Thomas Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- Jan 31, 2025SoCal Edison customers to cover $1.6 billion in Thomas Fire settlement costs, state officials sayCBS News Los Angeles
- Jan 31, 2025Commission approves SoCal Edison rate increase to cover cost of 2017 fire sparked by its equipmentABC7 Los Angeles
- Feb 27, 2024Southern California Edison to pay $80 million in Thomas Fire settlementNBC4 Los Angeles
- Feb 26, 2024SoCal Edison to pay $80 million in settlement with Forest Service over 2017 Thomas FireCourthouse News Service
- Feb 26, 2024SoCal Edison to pay $80M to settle claims its equipment sparked the Thomas FireCBS News Los Angeles
- Dec 16, 2021Southern California Edison reaches $550 million settlement with California regulator over five wildfiresCourthouse News Service
- Sep 23, 2020Southern California Edison Settles 2017 Wildfire, 2018 Mudslide Claims for $1.1 BillionCourthouse News Service
- Nov 13, 2019SoCal Edison to pay $360M to settle lawsuits over deadly Thomas, Woolsey fires sparked by its equipmentABC7 Los Angeles
- Mar 13, 2019California's massive Thomas Fire sparked by power lines, fire investigators sayNBC News
- Jul 17, 2018City of Ventura adds legal challenge to Southern California Edison over Thomas FireNBC4 Los Angeles
- Jan 18, 2018Lawsuit claims Southern California Edison caused massive fire that made mudslides disastrousKTLA 5
- Jan 5, 2018Residents say SoCal Edison started Thomas Fire, file multiple lawsuitsABC7 Los Angeles
- Dec 20, 2017Residents sue utility companies, city of Ventura over Thomas Fire damageKTLA 5
Common questions about the Thomas Fire
What caused the Thomas Fire?
The Ventura County Fire Department, working with CAL FIRE and other agencies, announced on March 13, 2019 that the Thomas Fire was started when Southern California Edison power lines came into contact with each other during high winds in Anlauf Canyon, north of Santa Paula. On March 19, 2019 it announced that a second fire, the Koenigstein Fire, started about an hour later in Upper Ojai when an energized conductor separated and fell from a power pole. The two fires merged within hours and are treated as one. Both started on the same electrical circuit. Edison has not admitted wrongdoing or liability in any settlement, and its filings note that fire agency findings do not determine legal causation.
Is there litigation over the Thomas 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 Thomas Fire affect?
The Thomas Fire (Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties) affected communities including Ventura, Ojai, Upper Ojai, Santa Paula, Fillmore, Carpinteria, Summerland, Montecito, Santa Barbara.
How large was the Thomas Fire?
281,893 acres, 1,063 structures destroyed, 2 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Thomas Fire?
The Ventura County Fire Department determined that the 2017 Thomas Fire was started by Southern California Edison power lines that came into contact with each other during high winds in Anlauf Canyon, north of Santa Paula, on December 4, 2017. It announced that finding on March 13, 2019.
When did the Thomas Fire start and how large was it?
The Thomas Fire started on the evening of December 4, 2017 in Ventura County, California, and CAL FIRE lists it as contained on January 12, 2018. It burned 281,893 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and destroyed 1,063 structures.
Has the Thomas Fire lawsuit settled?
Most of the Thomas Fire litigation has settled. Southern California Edison settled with public entities in 2019, with insurers for $1.16 billion in 2020 and with the United States for $80 million in 2024, and it has settled with thousands of individuals. Edison reported that, as of July 23, 2026, 9 lawsuits representing 21 individual plaintiffs remained pending over the Thomas and Koenigstein fires and the Montecito debris flows.
How much has Southern California Edison paid for the Thomas Fire?
No public source gives a settlement total for the Thomas Fire alone. Edison reports $9.707 billion in settlements paid through June 30, 2026 for the Thomas and Koenigstein fires, the Montecito debris flows and the 2018 Woolsey Fire combined. The California Public Utilities Commission recorded about $2.712 billion in Thomas Fire and Montecito costs through May 31, 2024, net of insurance.
Are Edison customers paying for the Thomas Fire?
In part. On January 30, 2025 the California Public Utilities Commission approved Decision 25-01-042, which allows Southern California Edison to recover about $1.627 billion of about $2.712 billion in Thomas Fire and Montecito debris flow costs from customers and permanently disallows about $1.094 billion.
How are the Montecito mudslides connected to the Thomas Fire?
On January 9, 2018, intense rain fell on the area burned by the Thomas Fire above Montecito, California, and triggered debris flows that killed 23 people, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. Lawsuits over the debris flows have been handled together with the Thomas Fire litigation.
Sources
- Thomas Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- VCFD Determines Cause of the Thomas Fire, Ventura County Fire Department
- Koenigstein Fire Cause Released, Ventura County Fire Department
- Thomas Fire investigation report 17CAVNC103156, redacted, CAL FIRE and Ventura County Fire Department
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- Decision 25-01-042, California Public Utilities Commission
- CPUC Penalizes SCE for 2017 and 2018 Wildfires, California Public Utilities Commission
- Southern California Edison agrees to pay United States $80 million, U.S. Attorney's Office, Central District of California
- Press release on the insurance subrogation settlement, Form 8-K exhibit, Edison International and Southern California Edison, filed with the SEC
- SoCal Edison to pay $360 million for deadly wildfires, mudslide, Courthouse News Service
- Inundation, flow dynamics, and damage in the 9 January 2018 Montecito debris-flow event, U.S. Geological Survey
- Thomas Fire grows to 132,000 acres, federal government grants aid, KQED
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.