01/04/2021 - SCE Section 315 Letter Re: Cerritos Fire

Bernice Cordero

Senior Advisor

January 4, 2021

202013913

PUBLIC UTILITIES COMMISSION STATE OF CALIFORNIA

ATTN: SAIMON ISLAM - SAFETY AND ENFORCEMENT DIVISION 320 W FOURTH STREET SUITE 500

LOS ANGELES CA 90013

Re:	Date of Incident:	December 3, 2020
	Location of Incident:	23920 California Avenue, Hemet, California

Dear Mr. Islam:

In accordance with the reporting requirements set forth in Resolution E-4184, this letter supplements the notice Southern California Edison Company (SCE) provided to the Commission via the web-based reporting system on Thursday, December 3, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., regarding the above-referenced incident. SCE is required to submit this information pursuant to Commission instructions, resolutions and the Public Utilities Code, and submits this report under Public Utilities Code Section 315.

On Thursday, December 3, 2020, at 2:06 a.m., during a Santa Ana wind event, a wildland fire that would become known as the Cerritos Fire was reported in the Hemet area of Riverside County. Cal Fire was the lead agency managing the fire suppression activities and the investigation into the cause of the fire. Forward progress of the Cerritos Fire was stopped on December 3, 2020 and it burned 200 acres of vegetation with no reported structures damaged or destroyed.

After the start of the fire on December 3, 2020 at approximately 2:43 a.m. SCE received notification of a wire down condition near California Avenue and Tres Cerritos, Hemet. SCE personnel responded to the area and discovered SCE Pole No. 217186S had sustained damage as a result of the fire but did not locate any downed conductors. In order to facilitate fire suppression activities, SCE de-energized a portion of the Rotec 12 kV circuit out of Stetson Substation beyond PS1744. At the time of the initial SCE response, Cal Fire had not yet reported the fire origin location.

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on this same date, SCE personnel initiated a patrol of the Rotec 12 kV circuit and were notified of a wire down condition at 23920 California Avenue, Hemet. Upon arrival, Cal Fire investigators advised the area had been identified as the area of origin and SCE facilities may have been involved in the ignition of the fire.

Once our personnel were permitted access to the subject area, they observed an overhead No. 4 aluminum triplex secondary and No. 4 aluminum triplex service had been contacted and

P.O. Box 900

2244 Walnut Grove Ave.

Rosemead, California 91770

[phone]

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Public Utilities Commission

January 4, 2021

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damaged by an uprooted tree during strong winds affecting the area prior to the report of the fire. The subject conductors were situated between SCE Pole Nos. 217511S and 217513S.

Cal Fire retained the damaged overhead No. 4 aluminum triplex secondary and No. 4 aluminum triplex service conductors as part of their investigation. No repairs to SCE facilities were completed in the area of origin because the customer's electrical panel appeared to be out of compliance and would require a local agency inspection and approval prior to installation of a new overhead electric service. Additionally, SCE Pole No. 217186S sustained fire damage and was replaced.

No injuries have been reported to SCE in connection with this event.

Sincerely,

Bernice Cordero