""This settlement served the Department's longstanding policy of holding individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires. Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority," U.S. Attorney Eric Grant of the Eastern District of California said in a statement."
""critical because the U.S. Forest Service now spends more than half of its budget on wildfire suppression annually.""
"PacifiCorp said the settlement demonstrates its ongoing commitment to resolve claims related to the fires. It has so far settled claims totaling over $2 billion, according to its statement."
PacifiCorp agreed to pay $575 million to resolve federal claims that its electrical lines negligently started four Oregon fires in 2020 and two California fires in 2020 and 2022. The settlement will fund restoration of portions of the 290,000 acres of burned public land and reimburse the government for firefighting costs. The Department of Justice emphasized holding entities responsible for wildfire damages and noted firefighting expenses strain the U.S. Forest Service budget. PacifiCorp has settled more than $2 billion in related claims and has faced jury verdicts ordering hundreds of millions in damages for 2020 fires.
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