Cal Fire Ties 12 Blazes In Deadly October Firestorm To PG&E Lines

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A dozen wildfires that were part of a California firestorm in October have been tied to utility lines.

Cal Fire released the causes of 12 fires in addition to four more fires it previously disclosed last month. Cal Fire says it's spent several hundred hours investigating more than just the 16 fires they've disclosed so far.

Investigations are ongoing with several other fires, including the massive Tubbs Fire.

Eight of the 12 fires have been referred to county district attorneys for review.

PG&E released a statement about the findings

The safety of our customers, their families and the communities we serve is our most important job. The loss of life, homes and businesses in these extraordinary wildfires is simply heartbreaking, and we remain focused on helping communities recover and rebuild.

• Redwood Fire (Mendocino County)
  • 35,623 acres
  • 543 structures destroyed
  • 9 civilian fatalities
  • Cause: Tree or parts of trees falling onto PG&E power lines
• Sulphur Fire (Lake County
  • 2,207 acres
  • 162 structures destroyed
  • Cause: PG&E owned power pole failed, lines and equipment coming in contact with ground
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Cherokee Fire (Butte County)
  • 8,417 acres
  • 6 structures destroyed
  • Cause: Tree limbs coming in contact with PG&E power lines
• 37 fire (Sonoma County)
  • 1,660 acres
  • 3 structures destroyed
  • Cause: Electrical and associated with PG&E distribution lines in the area
• Blue Fire (Humboldt County)
  • 20 acres
  • Cause: PG&E power line conductor separated from connector and fell to ground.
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Pocket Fire (Sonoma County)
  • 17,357 acres
  • 6 structures
  • Cause: Broken oak tree contacted PG&E power lines
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Atlas Fire (Napa County)
  • 51,624 acres
  • 6 fatalities
  • 783 structures destroyed
  • Cause: Fire started in two locations
    • A large limb broke from a tree, contacted PG&E power line
    • A tree fell on the same line.
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review

Fires that merged in Sonoma and Napa counties, burning 56,556 acres combined, 1,355 structures and killing three people:

• Norrbom Fire
  • Cause: Tree fell and came into contact with power lines.
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Adobe Fire
  • Cause: Eucalyptus tree falling into power line.
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Partrick Fire
  • Cause: Oak tree falling into power lines.
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Pythian Fire
  • Cause: Downed power line after PG&E tried to re-energize the line
  • Note: Investigation passed on to district attorney's office for review
• Nuns Fire
  • Cause: Broken top of a tree came in contact with a power line.

Cal Fire previously released the cause of four other wildfires on May 25, saying PG&E could have done more to prevent three of those fires. No deaths were reported in those four fires.

This is a developing story. Check back for more details.