Oregon lawmakers are considering whether utilities should obtain annual “wildfire safety certifications” under a new system of planning and audits that’s designed to deter blazes — but would mostly help protect utilities from lawsuits, critics say.
Liability for wildfires has become a dominant issue in Oregon after the 2020 Labor Day Fires burned more than 1,800 square miles, killed nine people and destroyed thousands of buildings.
PacifiCorp, the owner of the state’s second-largest utility, is on the hook for billions of dollars after juries found the company acted negligently in keeping its power lines energized during hazardous weather. Trials to award damages to survivors are scheduled through the rest of the year.
Democratic Rep. Pam Marsh, whose southern Oregon district was heavily damaged by the Labor Day Fires, acknowledged the state’s utilities need more oversight. But she argued Oregon’s current policies push utilities to cut off electricity too quickly and invest in expensive measures driven more by legal risk than efficacy.
