Companies to Pay $17M in San Diego Wildfires Case

San Diego Gas & Electric and Cox Communications have agreed to pay $17 million to settle claims by state investigators that poor maintenance led to three huge Southern California wildfires in 2007.

The settlement, announced Friday, comes more than a year after investigators with California's Public Utilities Commission concluded that power lines caused the Witch Creek, Guejito and Rice Canyon fires, which destroyed 1,300 homes and killed two people.

Officials found the Guejito Fire was caused by a Cox Communications lashing wire touching an SDG&E conductor. Cox has agreed to pay $2 million to the general fund, without admitting it caused the fire.

The companies did not admit fault for setting the fires, but said they would take steps to better maintain their lines and equipment.

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Information from: The San Diego Union-Tribune, http://www.signonsandiego.com

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