Thomas Fire, 2017
The Thomas Fire started north of Santa Paula on the evening of December 4, 2017, when power lines owned by Southern California Edison (SCE) came into contact in high winds. It burned 281,893 acres across Ventura and Santa Barbara counties and destroyed 1,063 structures.
- Where
- Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, starting north of Santa Paula
- Utility
- SCE
- Record
- Found by investigators
- Started on
- Line not stated
- Acres burned
- 281,893
Sources: CAL FIRE; Ventura County Fire Department
- Days to containment
- 39
Source: CAL FIRE
- Structures destroyed
- 1,063
Sources: CAL FIRE; Ventura County Fire Department
- Deaths
- 2
Source: Ventura County Fire Department
Found by investigators
The agency that investigated the fire found that the utility's equipment started it.
The Ventura County Fire Department found in March 2019 that the fire was started by power lines that came into contact during high winds, and that the lines are owned by SCE.
Source: Ventura County Fire Department
Line not stated
The sources we found do not say whether it was a transmission or a distribution line.
SCE power lines that touched in high winds. The sources we found do not give the voltage.
What happened
- Started
December 4, 2017, in Anlauf Canyon. CAL FIRE's incident page gives 6:28 p.m.; the investigation report records a phone report at about 6:23 p.m.
Sources: CAL FIRE; Ventura County Fire Department
- Contained
January 12, 2018, after 39 days, by CAL FIRE's count. The investigation report says the fire was fully controlled on January 10.
Sources: CAL FIRE; VCFD determines cause of the Thomas Fire; Thomas Fire investigation report (redacted)
- Buildings
1,063 structures destroyed and 274 damaged, by CAL FIRE's count. Together, the Thomas and Koenigstein fires destroyed or damaged an estimated 1,343 structures, by CAL FIRE's estimate as SCE reports it.
Sources: CAL FIRE; Edison International and SCE, filed with the SEC
- Deaths and injuries
One civilian and one firefighter were killed. CAL FIRE lists two firefighter injuries.
Sources: Ventura County Fire Department; CAL FIRE
- The Montecito mudslides
Santa Barbara County's initial reports, as SCE relays them, count 21 confirmed deaths, 135 structures destroyed and 324 damaged in the Montecito mudslides. The fire investigators' reports did not address what caused the mudslides. Some lawsuits over the fires claim SCE is also responsible for the debris flows and flooding in Montecito.
Sources: Edison International and SCE Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2026; Edison International and SCE Form 10-K for 2019
The cause
- What failed
Investigators found that energized power lines came into contact, phase to phase, between two poles, and threw molten aluminum particles onto the brush below.
Sources: Thomas Fire investigation report (redacted); VCFD determines cause of the Thomas Fire
- The Koenigstein Fire
A second fire started near Koenigstein Road in Santa Paula the same day. The Ventura County Fire Department and CAL FIRE found it started when an energized SCE wire separated and fell to the ground with molten metal particles.
- Criminal case
SCE understands that the state Attorney General completed its investigation without bringing criminal charges.
- What SCE says
SCE says it "has not determined whether its equipment caused the Thomas Fire". Pointing to radar data, it believes the fire started at least 12 minutes before any issue on its system.
What it cost
- Paid to insurers
$1.2 billion, under a September 2020 settlement with the insurers for the Thomas and Koenigstein fires and the Montecito mudslides.
- Charged to customers
In January 2025 the CPUC approved a settlement letting SCE recover 60 percent, about $1.6 billion, of about $2.7 billion in losses from the Thomas and Koenigstein fires and the Montecito mudslides.
- Some figures cover four events
SCE reports some costs for the Thomas, Koenigstein and Woolsey fires and the Montecito mudslides together, as its "2017/2018 Wildfire/Mudslide Events". The rows below say which.
- Paid to public agencies (all four)
$360 million in 2019, under SCE's settlements with local public entities.
- People who sued (all four)
SCE had settled with about 13,800 individual plaintiffs by July 23, 2026.
- CPUC penalty (all four, and three other 2017 fires)
$550 million under an October 2021 agreement with the CPUC's safety staff: a $110 million fine to the state's General Fund, $65 million of shareholder-funded safety measures, and SCE giving up the right to charge customers for $125 million and $250 million of uninsured claims payments. SCE did not admit imprudence, negligence or liability.
Not published
We looked for these and found no source that publishes them:
- How many people were evacuated, or for how long
- How many households never returned
- Insured losses for this fire