Sonoma / Napa Wildfire Attorneys

https://heavy.com/news/2019/10/kincade-fire-evacuation-maps/ For those of you who have filed claims against PG&E in the bankruptcy court, do not automatically believe everything you read in the newspapers. PG&E does have insurance which applies to the Kincade Fire. Until that insurance is exhausted, the Kincade Fire losses will not affect the bankruptcy. Pray for the safety of fire fighters and the people who live in the fire area.

This is the webpage for the wildfire assistance program. They should start accepting applications on August 15, 2019. www.norcalwildfireassistanceprogram.com

Yesterday the judge in PG&E's bankruptcy case set the "bar date" for October 21, 2019. The "bar date" is the date by which a fire victim will have to have his or her claim on file with the bankruptcy court. The judge also approved the form to be used. For those of you with an attorney, your attorney can file the claim on your behalf. People without an attorney will have to file the claim themselves. PG&E is required to give notice of this bar date. Many of you will ...be receiving letters in the mail, see written notice in newspapers or see ads on TV. If you have a claim against PG&E, which arises from the fires in 2015, 2017 or 2018, and you intend to make a claim, you must act to protect your rights.

There are two hearings coming up in the PG&E Bankruptcy. On June 11 and June 26 the Court will be deciding issues relating to the claim form to be submitted by fire victims and the date by which claims must be filed. Once the bar date is selected, anyone who suffered fire related injuries or damages in the 2017 Nor Cal Fires or the 2018 Camp Fire, must have a claim on file by that date. Since this message was originally posted, the Court has continued all hearings to June 26.

Cal Fire has confirmed what we all knew. PG&E burned 150,000 acres, destroyed 13,900 homes and killed 85 people. PG&E's new CEO calls that "disappointing." That should tell you all you need to know about Bill Johnson, the new CEO.

On May 22, 2019 at 9:30 a.m. in Federal Bankruptcy Court (San Francisco - Judge Montali) PG&E's motion to establish a wildfire victim's fund will be heard. PG&E is only asking for $100M dollars. The amount of the fund is insufficient. If you want to show your support for a higher amount, go to court and be seen. Fire victims need to make sure their plight is front and center in the bankruptcy.

PG&E has filed a motion with the bankruptcy court seeking authority to establish a $100 million dollar emergency fund for fire victims. The $100 million dollar fund would be for emergency needs and is NOT compensation for losses. The $100 million dollars is not enough. PG&E asked for $235 million to pay bonuses to its employees. The exact criteria to receive funds has not been set. The motion is set to be heard on May 22. We will update this page after the hearing.

PG&E has now filed a motion to establish a bar date. Once the Court has establish a bar date anyone who has a claim will have to file a claim with the bankruptcy court by that date.

https://www.sacbee.com//op-ed/soapbox/article213964724.html

Every other business in America, if they make bad decisions, they go out of business, said Steve Campora, a lawyer for some of the victims of California fires over the past 10 years. For some reason, there’s this notion that the utilities ought to be propped up. https://mobile.nytimes.com//california-fires-utilities.html

Not surprisingly, once again PG&E is found at fault for death, injury, and damage. http://calfire.ca.gov//n/2018/2017_WildfireSiege_Cause.pdf

The latest fines paid by PG&E. This is from PG&E SEC filing for the first quarter of 2018. This is PG&E's punishment for it executives cozy ex parte communications with the CPUC. "On April 26, 2018, the CPUC approved the revised proposed decision issued on April 3, 2018, adopting the settlement agreement jointly submitted to the CPUC on March 28, 2017, as modified (the "settlement agreement") by the Utility, the Cities of San Bruno and San Carlos, the ORA, the SED, and TU...RN. The decision results in a total penalty of $97.5 million . . . . . Under the terms of the settlement agreement, customers will bear no costs associated with the financial remedies set forth above. The CPUC also ordered a second phase in this proceeding to determine if any of the additional communications that the Utility reported to the CPUC on September 21, 2017 violate the CPUC ex-parte rules." And by the way, the criminal investigation is ongoing: "In 2014, both the U.S. Attorney's Office in San Francisco and the California Attorney General's office opened investigations into matters related to allegedly improper communication between the Utility and CPUC personnel. The Utility has cooperated with those investigations. It is uncertain whether any charges will be brought against the Utility as a result of these investigations." http://d18rn0p25nwr6d.cloudfront.net//689ac607-f073-477a-9

If you want to be able to see copies of the Cal Fire Reports as they are released, go the webpage below. (The link says "2007" but it includes 2017 fire reports.) You can also go to the Cal Fire homepage and click on Newsroom to get the latest news releases. http://calfire.ca.gov/fire_prot/fire_protection_firereports

If you are a victim of the Nor Cal Fires and you want to have a voice in the State Capitol, go the website below for information on how you can be heard. http://holdpgeaccountable.com/