The Zogg Fire (2020) was a California wildfire in Shasta & Tehama Counties, with 56,338 acres, 204 structures destroyed, 4 deaths on the public record. Its cause is recorded as confirmed. Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
The Zogg Fire burned 56,338 acres west of Redding in September and October 2020 and killed four people in the small communities of Igo and Ono. It destroyed 204 structures.
CAL FIRE found that a pine tree fell onto PG&E distribution lines. That finding produced three separate proceedings: a criminal case, a regulatory penalty and a body of civil lawsuits. All three have ended, none of them with a trial verdict.
The criminal case came closest. The Shasta County District Attorney charged PG&E in September 2021 with 31 counts, including four of involuntary manslaughter. After a judge dismissed most of the counts and signaled that most of the rest would follow, the two sides settled: PG&E agreed to pay $50 million, and the charges were dismissed in June 2023 with no conviction.
On the civil side, PG&E reported in early 2024 that it had settled, or reached settlements in principle, with substantially all individual plaintiffs, and that it had paid $392 million on Zogg claims through March 31, 2024. Its filings since then no longer carry a section on this fire. What individuals received is not public.
Fire facts
From public records; unknown values are shown, never guessed.
| Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Start date | 2020-09-27 |
| Containment date | 2020-10-13 |
| Region / counties | Shasta, Tehama |
| Acreage | 56,338 |
| Structures destroyed | 204 |
| Structures damaged | 27 |
| Fatalities | 4 |
| Cause status | confirmed |
| Officially determined arson | No / not determined |
| Public settlement information | PG&E agreed to pay $50 million under a May 31, 2023 stipulated judgment with the Shasta County District Attorney ($45 million to local organizations and a $5 million civil penalty). Shasta and Tehama counties settled their civil claims for $12,360,000 in May 2021. PG&E reports $392 million paid on all Zogg Fire claims through March 31, 2024. Amounts paid to individuals are not public. |
| Last verified | 2026-10-01 |
Cause
CAL FIRE announced on March 22, 2021 that the Zogg Fire was caused by a pine tree contacting electrical distribution lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, north of the community of Igo, and it forwarded its report to the Shasta County District Attorney. The safety division of the California Public Utilities Commission reached the same account in its own report of June 2, 2022: a gray pine failed and fell onto PG&E 12 kV conductors. PG&E said it would accept CAL FIRE's finding while disputing the criminal charges that followed. CAL FIRE's incident page was last updated in October 2020 and still shows the cause as under investigation.
What happened
The Zogg Fire started at about 4:00 PM on September 27, 2020 near Zogg Mine Road north of Igo, in Shasta County, and burned into Tehama County. Four people died. By September 29 the sheriff reported 466 homes evacuated in Igo and Ono and about 1,250 people displaced. CAL FIRE recorded containment on October 13, 2020, at 56,338 acres, with 204 structures destroyed and 27 damaged.
Zogg Fire timeline
Each entry is dated and links to the public source it comes from.
The Zogg Fire starts near Zogg Mine Road north of Igo.
Source: CAL FIRE
The sheriff reports 466 homes evacuated in Igo and Ono and about 1,250 people displaced.
Source: Los Angeles Times
CAL FIRE records the fire as contained at 56,338 acres.
Source: CAL FIRE
CAL FIRE announces that a pine tree contacting PG&E distribution lines caused the fire.
Source: CAL FIRE
Shasta and Tehama counties settle their claims against PG&E for $12,360,000.
Source: County of Shasta
The Shasta County District Attorney charges PG&E with 11 felonies and 20 misdemeanors, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter.
Source: Courthouse News Service
The CPUC safety division issues its investigation report.
CAL FIRE's cost recovery complaint against PG&E is dismissed after a settlement.
The CPUC approves a $150 million settlement of its enforcement case.
PG&E and the District Attorney file a $50 million stipulated judgment and the court grants dismissal of the charges.
Source: Associated Press
The criminal charges are dismissed with prejudice.
PG&E reports it has settled or reached settlements in principle with substantially all individual plaintiffs.
PG&E files its last quarterly report with a Zogg Fire section: $392 million paid through March 31, 2024.
Litigation status
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
Civil claims against PG&E over the Zogg Fire were handled in a coordinated proceeding in San Francisco County Superior Court. Shasta and Tehama counties settled first, for $12,360,000 in May 2021. CAL FIRE sued on March 18, 2022 for about $34.5 million in suppression and other costs; that claim settled and was dismissed on December 22, 2022, with no amount published. PG&E reported about 32 complaints on behalf of at least 541 plaintiffs as of October 18, 2023, with a trial date of April 8, 2024. Its annual report for 2023 then stated that it had settled, or reached settlements in principle, with substantially all individual plaintiffs. Its last filing to carry a Zogg Fire section, for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, recorded a liability of $400 million and $392 million paid. In the criminal case, the Shasta County District Attorney charged PG&E on September 24, 2021 with 11 felonies and 20 misdemeanors over the Zogg Fire and three smaller fires, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter. After a preliminary hearing in early 2023 the court dismissed 20 of the 31 counts. On May 31, 2023 the two sides filed a civil stipulated judgment under which PG&E pays $50 million, and the remaining charges were dismissed with prejudice on June 14, 2023. There was no conviction and no plea. The California Public Utilities Commission approved a $150 million settlement of its enforcement case on May 18, 2023 in Resolution ALJ-439: a $10 million fine to the state General Fund and $140 million in shareholder-funded initiatives.
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
- CAL FIRE investigators determine cause of the Zogg Fire (March 22, 2021) , CAL FIRE
- Resolution ALJ-439, approving the settlement between PG&E and the safety division , California Public Utilities Commission (Case H.22-11-015)
- Incident investigation report, Zogg Fire, redacted (June 2, 2022) , California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division (Case E20201009-01)
- Settlement agreement between the Counties of Shasta and Tehama and PG&E (May 2021) , County of Shasta (Case CGC-20-588433)
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024: 2020 Zogg Fire , PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023: stipulated judgment and CPUC settlement , PG&E Corporation, 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 | 56,338 | CAL FIRE, October 16, 2020 |
| Structures destroyed | 204 | CAL FIRE, October 16, 2020 |
| Deaths | 4 | CAL FIRE, October 16, 2020 |
| Stipulated judgment ending the criminal case | $50 million | Associated Press, May 31, 2023 |
| CPUC settlement | $150 million | California Public Utilities Commission, Resolution ALJ-439, May 18, 2023 |
| Settlement with Shasta and Tehama counties | $12,360,000 | County of Shasta, May 25, 2021 |
| Complaints and plaintiffs PG&E was aware of | About 32 complaints, at least 541 plaintiffs | PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, October 18, 2023 |
| PG&E cumulative payments, all Zogg claims | $392 million | PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, March 31, 2024 |
| PG&E recorded liability, before insurance | $400 million | PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, March 31, 2024 |
In the news
Independent news coverage related to the Zogg Fire. Each link opens the original public reporting.
- May 31, 2023PG&E reaches $50-million settlement in 2020 Zogg fireLos Angeles Times
- May 31, 2023Judge dismisses criminal charges against California energy company in 2020 fatal wildfireAssociated Press
- May 31, 2023PG&E settles Zogg Fire case for $50 millionCourthouse News Service
- May 18, 2023PG&E to Pay $150 million for Zogg FireNBC Bay Area
- Sep 24, 2021PG&E slapped with criminal charges over 2020 Zogg FireCourthouse News Service
- May 26, 2021Shasta and Tehama Counties settle Zogg Fire claims with PG&EKRCR
- Mar 23, 2021Last year’s Zogg fire was sparked by tree hitting PG&E power line, investigators sayLos Angeles Times
Common questions about the Zogg Fire
What caused the Zogg Fire?
CAL FIRE announced on March 22, 2021 that the Zogg Fire was caused by a pine tree contacting electrical distribution lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, north of the community of Igo, and it forwarded its report to the Shasta County District Attorney. The safety division of the California Public Utilities Commission reached the same account in its own report of June 2, 2022: a gray pine failed and fell onto PG&E 12 kV conductors. PG&E said it would accept CAL FIRE's finding while disputing the criminal charges that followed. CAL FIRE's incident page was last updated in October 2020 and still shows the cause as under investigation.
Is there litigation over the Zogg Fire?
Resolved / settled. Status as of October 1, 2026, per PG&E Corporation Form 10-Q, filed with the SEC.
What areas did the Zogg Fire affect?
The Zogg Fire (Shasta & Tehama Counties) affected communities including Igo, Ono, Platina, Happy Valley.
How large was the Zogg Fire?
56,338 acres, 204 structures destroyed, 4 fatalities, per public records as of 2026-10-01.
What caused the Zogg Fire?
CAL FIRE determined that the 2020 Zogg Fire in Shasta County, California was caused by a pine tree contacting electrical distribution lines owned and operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company north of Igo. It announced that finding on March 22, 2021.
Was there a Zogg Fire settlement?
Yes, several. PG&E agreed to pay $50 million under a stipulated judgment with the Shasta County District Attorney on May 31, 2023, the California Public Utilities Commission approved a $150 million settlement on May 18, 2023, and Shasta and Tehama counties settled for $12,360,000 in May 2021. PG&E also reported settling with substantially all individual plaintiffs and paying $392 million on Zogg Fire claims through March 31, 2024.
Was PG&E convicted over the Zogg Fire?
No. The Shasta County District Attorney charged PG&E on September 24, 2021 with 31 counts over the Zogg Fire and three smaller fires, including four counts of involuntary manslaughter. A judge dismissed 20 counts after a preliminary hearing, and the remaining charges were dismissed with prejudice on June 14, 2023 after PG&E agreed to a $50 million civil judgment. There was no conviction and no plea.
Is the Zogg Fire lawsuit still open?
PG&E reported that, as of February 14, 2024, it had settled or reached settlements in principle with substantially all individual plaintiffs in the Zogg Fire litigation, which was coordinated in San Francisco County Superior Court. PG&E filings after the first quarter of 2024 no longer include a Zogg Fire section, and we have found no later public report.
When did the Zogg Fire start and how many people died?
The Zogg Fire started on September 27, 2020 near Zogg Mine Road north of Igo in Shasta County, California, and was contained on October 13, 2020. It burned 56,338 acres, destroyed 204 structures and killed four people, according to CAL FIRE.
Sources
- Zogg Fire incident record, CAL FIRE
- CAL FIRE investigators determine cause of the Zogg Fire, CAL FIRE
- Resolution ALJ-439, California Public Utilities Commission
- Incident investigation report E20201009-01, California Public Utilities Commission, Safety and Enforcement Division
- Settlement agreement, Counties of Shasta and Tehama and PG&E, County of Shasta
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2024, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2023, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2023, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Form 10-K for fiscal year 2022, PG&E Corporation, filed with the SEC
- Judge dismisses criminal charges against California energy company in 2020 fatal wildfire, Associated Press
- PG&E slapped with criminal charges over 2020 Zogg Fire, Courthouse News Service
- California fire that killed 3 explodes as firefighters struggle with lack of resources, Los Angeles Times
Facts on this page are drawn from the public sources listed above and rewritten in original words. See Sources & Methodology.