PORTLAND, Ore. — Pacific Power reached a $178 million settlement with 403 plaintiffs, in which the vast majority of plaintiffs opted out of James class action litigation. The company has settled nearly 1,500 Labor Day 2020 wildfire claims with individuals and businesses in California and Oregon. The company will continue to settle all reasonable claims.
“We are pleased to resolve these claims to provide plaintiffs with some closure,” said Ryan Flynn, Pacific Power president. “The process that led to this settlement represents the fairest and most efficient way to resolve wildfire litigation. Class litigation is costly, complex, takes several years to run its course through the legal system and is a barrier to reasonable outcomes for impacted individuals whose personal experiences vary dramatically.”
Plaintiffs in the settlement are represented by Warren Allen, the Swigart Law Group and Spreter & Petiprin.
“This settlement marks a significant step forward for all Oregonians affected by the 2020 Labor Day Fires,” said George McCoy, attorney at Warren Allen. “It provides meaningful compensation to those affected, enabling them to rebuild and recover from these traumatic events. We acknowledge PacifiCorp's willingness to engage in constructive dialogue and reach a mutually agreeable resolution. This settlement represents a collaborative effort to address the needs of the community, and we remain committed to pursuing further resolutions to support the ongoing recovery of all Oregonians affected by the fires.”
Pacific Power has provided safe, affordable and reliable power and served as a key driver of economic growth throughout Oregon for more than a century. The ongoing risk of wildfires to the utility model threatens that continued growth and the creation of living-wage jobs.
The safety of our customers and communities remains our top priority. Pacific Power has an industry-leading wildfire mitigation program, including investments in grid hardening, situational awareness, forecasting, data science and enhanced vegetation management. The company also uses comprehensively developed operational practices in high-risk conditions to increase the safety of Oregon communities.
The growing threat of wildfires affects everyone and is larger than any single company, industry or government. It is critical that wildfire-related issues be solved holistically, with businesses, governments and key stakeholders working together to design and implement constructive, enduring solutions.