PacifiCorp Agrees to $575 Million Settlement With U.S. Over Six Western Wildfires Including Archie Creek
PacifiCorp agreed to pay $575 million to settle federal claims tied to six wildfires in Oregon and California. The funds will reimburse suppression costs and support land restoration. The settlement resolves allegations only, and the company continues to deny liability.
PORTLAND, Ore. — PacifiCorp has reached a $575 million settlement with the United States to resolve federal claims tied to six wildfires in Oregon and California, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Oregon.
The agreement addresses allegations that the utility’s electrical equipment ignited the fires. Officials said the settlement will reimburse the federal government for wildfire response costs and support restoration efforts on public lands. The settlement does not include an admission of liability, and PacifiCorp continues to deny the claims.
Fires Included in the Settlement
Four of the fires occurred in Oregon:
- 242 Fire: Began Sept. 7, 2020, near Chiloquin; burned 8,916 acres of federal land.
- Archie Creek Fire: Began Sept. 8, 2020, near French Creek in the Umpqua National Forest; burned about 67,000 acres of federal land.
- Echo Mountain Complex Fire: Began Sept. 7, 2020, near Otis; burned roughly 2,500 acres, including federal land.
- South Obenchain Fire: Began Sept. 8, 2020, east of Eagle Point; burned 14,780 acres of federal land.
Two additional fires occurred in California:
- Slater Fire: Began Sept. 8, 2020, in the Klamath National Forest; burned 157,229 acres of federal land across multiple national forests.
- McKinney Fire: Began July 29, 2022, near the Klamath National Forest; burned about 39,000 acres of federal land.
Federal officials said the settlement funds will help repay suppression costs and support restoration across approximately 290,000 acres of public land affected by the fires. The U.S. Forest Service spends more than half of its annual budget on wildfire suppression, according to the agency.
Department of Justice and U.S. Attorney’s Office representatives said the agreement is intended to recover costs tied to wildfire damage and response. PacifiCorp stated the settlement resolves a significant portion of outstanding wildfire-related claims in Oregon and California while providing financial certainty for customers and the utility.
The settlement was negotiated by the U.S. Attorney’s Offices for Oregon and the Eastern District of California, along with the U.S. Forest Service and the Department of the Interior. Officials noted the claims resolved in the agreement are allegations only and that no determination of liability has been made.
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