The 2017 Thomas Fire that killed two people and burned 281,893 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties was caused by Southern California Edison power lines, investigators announced Wednesday.
The Ventura County Fire Department and California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection found during a 13-month investigation that the fire was sparked on Dec. 4, during high winds. When two power lines "came into contact with each other," it created an "electrical arc," the Ventura County Fire Department said in a statement. "The electrical arc deposited hot, burning, or molten material on the ground, in a receptive fuel bed, causing the fire. The common term for this situation is called 'line slap,' and the power line in question is owned by Southern California Edison."
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