High Winds Lead to Ventura County Fires, SoCal in High Alert – Property Damage Attorneys and Fire Injury Attorneys
The current Santa Ana wind event has resulted in multiple fires, threatening property and life. Fires started amid the wind event generating 70- to 80-mph wind gusts throughout Los Angeles County and Ventura County. These winds triggered power outages, traffic safety warnings, and of course fire risks.
According to the National Weather Service, southwest California is facing a “particularly dangerous situation.” The agency issued a red flag alert warning of “widespread, extreme fire weather conditions” across southwest California. This alert is the highest in four years and is reserved to describe “the most extreme, critical conditions,” according to Ariel Cohen, the lead meteorologist for the weather service in their Oxnard Office.
Cohen also said that the extremely high winds, low humidity, and the dry brush are effectively creating a “volatile combination.” This alert was issued for Los Angeles and Ventura counties. Other surrounding areas, including San Bernardino County, Riverside County, and mountain areas of the Inland Empire and Orange County are also facing high-wind warnings or standard red flag warnings. Although this wind event is rare, since the winds have expanded through the L.A. Basin, winds are expected to affect coastal areas too, including Long Beach and Palos Verdes.
The strongest wind gusts are expected in the San Gabriel Mountains and Santa Monica Mountains, where speeds are expected to reach 100mph and humidity levels are expected to drop down to 8%. This creates prime weather conditions for “extreme and life-threatening” fire behavior.
The weather service has also urged residents to remain on guard for downed trees, downed power lines, and dangerous winds on roadways. In the Antelope Valley, specifically on the 14 Freeway from Ward Road to the Kern County line, drivers are urged to remain extra cautious when hauling trailers or driving large vehicles.
$1.93 Million
$2,287,495
$54 Million
$22 Million
$600,000
$965,000
$1,900,000
$1,975,000
The Mountain Fire is one of two fires that ignited due to the extreme wind event mentioned above. The fire has resulted in evacuation orders and has left fire authorities with the task of rescuing residents of the affected communities from fast-moving flames. These fires have already caused injuries and have burned down several homes in Camarillo Heights. Many other homes are threatened by the flames. Because of the high winds, airplanes cannot be used to drop retardant on the fire. Since the fire hopped the 118 Freeway towards Camarillo Heights, the freeway was shit down between Oxnard and Camarillo. The Mountain Fire quickly burned over 10,500 acres and continues to grow.
The Malibu FireThe Malibu fire, in L.A. County, started in the morning and spread to 50-acres. It has burned one structure so far.
Mitigation Efforts by Southern California EdisonTo reduce risk to communities with high-risk equipment (high risk to spark a wildfire), Southern California Edison started shutting off power to customers in high-risk areas. Currently, over 65,000 utility customers do not have power due to the “heightened wildfire risk,” according to SCE. Another 254,000 customers may lose power as a result of safety shutoffs in the coming days.
Can I File a Lawsuit for Damages Resulting from a Wildfire?In general, yes, those affected by wildfires could have grounds to file lawsuits. If the fire ignited because of the negligent actions of an entity (such as a utility company with faulty equipment or that failed to shut off equipment to reduce risks), then the entity could be liable and could be sued by affected individuals. Although utility companies have been to blame for many wildfires in the past, they are not the cause of every wildfire.
Some wildfires simply spark and spread because of the extreme weather conditions facing the region. Even then, affected parties could have the right to file claims with their insurance companies (given that they have fire coverage). In cases where the insurance company is unfairly denying valid claims or exercising bad faith, affected parties could actually pursue separate claims against the insurance company for bad faith.
We understand that it could be difficult to determine whether you could file a lawsuit for injuries or property damage resulting from wildfire. To ensure that you have a thorough understanding of the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to our legal team as soon as possible.
Although every situation is different, some of the different categories of compensation that could be available for recovery could include the following:
- Medical costs (including for burn injuries, smoke inhalation injuries, and more)
- Lost earnings
- Pain and suffering
- Property damage
- Legal costs
- And more
Here at our law firm, our expert legal team is fully committed to fighting for your rights and helping you recover the maximum payout available for your claim. Whether you are pursuing a claim against a negligent utility company, your insurance company, or any other party/entity, you can trust that our team is ready to go above it all to protect your rights and get you the recovery that you are owed.
Contact the Downtown L.A. Law Group TodayIf you sustained injuries or suffered property damage as a result of a wildfire, it is important that you explore the legal options available to you. Based on the details surrounding your specific situation, you could be entitled to pursue a claim and recover compensation. In fact, you could even have grounds to participate in a class action lawsuit. For more information about the legal options available to you, please do not hesitate to reach out to the team here at the Downtown L.A. Law Group as soon as possible. Our team of fire injury lawyers and fire property damage are ready to guide you every step of the way.
Free Case Review: whether you are looking to begin your claim or continue your claim after starting it elsewhere, our team can help you completely free of charge. We offer free consultations, which include free second opinions as well. Our experts will be available to answer all your questions and address all your concerns. To schedule a free case evaluation, contact us today.
Zero-Fee Guarantee: you will never be required to pay any upfront legal costs for any of our legal services. In addition, our firm works on contingency, so you will not be required to pay anything if your lawsuit is not successful. If you do not win, you will not be responsible for paying anything at all.
For more information about how our team can help you, contact us today.
Over $1 BILLION Recovered
for Our Clients
Learn More
Featured Lawyers
Steven Ross, Esq.
Edward Morgan, Esq.
Amy Gomez
Bonnie Madani, Esq.
Nina Sargsyan, Esq.
Jeffrey Bloeser, Esq.