Attorneys for victims of the mudslides in Montecito have joined an earlier lawsuit against Southern California Edison over the Thomas fire, blaming actions by the giant utility and the Montecito Water District for the devastation that killed at least 20 people.
The lawsuit claims that the fire originated from two separate pole-mounted transformers owned and operated by SCE in Santa Paula and Upper Ojai. Driven by Santa Ana winds, the fire eventually grew to more than 281,000 acres, denuding hillsides above Montecito.