Calif. utility to pay local governments $1 billion for wildfires

"California utility giant Pacific Gas and Electric Co. has agreed to pay $1 billion to 14 local governments throughout the state for the wildfire damage caused by its equipment and practices," Richard Gonzales reports for NPR. "Attorneys for a group of local public entities — counties and cities — announced the proposed settlement Tuesday to help cover taxpayer losses due to the 2015 Butte Fire, the 2017 North Bay Fires and the 2018 Camp Fire." Investigators found PG&E transmission lines caused the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85 and burned over 150,000 acres.

The Butte County area will get the lion's share of the cash, since it suffered most from the Camp Fire. The county will receive $252 million; the town of Paradise will get $270 million; and the Paradise Recreation and Parks District will receive $47.5 million, Gonzales reports.

"Another $415 million will be divided by other jurisdictions and agencies hit by the wildfires in 2017, including Sonoma County, the city of Santa Rosa, Napa County and the city of Napa," Gonzales reports. The settlement doesn't cover insurance claims filed by individuals or businesses who were victims of the fires. It also must be approved by a bankruptcy court, since PG&E filed for bankruptcy protection in January.