Judges Sue LADWP After Losing Homes to January Wildfire

LOS ANGELES, CA — Two federal judges, Dean Pregerson and Vijay “Jay” Gandhi, have joined over 750 residents in suing the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). The lawsuit stems from the devastating wildfire that swept through Pacific Palisades in January.

The judges, who lost their homes in the fire, filed the suit in Los Angeles County Superior Court last week. They claim the LADWP was inadequately prepared for the wildfire, with reports indicating that empty reservoirs and energized power lines contributed to the fire’s spread.

According to the complaint, LADWP’s failure to maintain its infrastructure was a significant factor in the fire’s ignition. The lawsuit highlights that LADWP’s reservoirs, located in the Palisades, were closed for repairs prior to the fire and were entirely empty during the event.

“Despite dire warnings from the National Weather Service about critical fire weather, LADWP showed a lack of preparedness,” the complaint said. Residents were warned of a “Particularly Dangerous Condition – Red Flag Warning,” indicating that conditions favored rapid fire spread.

An earlier investigation by The Times revealed that the utility did not take timely action to address the risks posed by the impending wildfire. A request for comment from LADWP regarding the lawsuit was not answered.

Experts have criticized LADWP’s defense, which claims that no urban water system can combat a wildfire of such scale. However, Pregerson and Gandhi argue that the utility ignored known risks for years, failing to manage the infrastructure effectively, which they believe exacerbated the fire damage.

“The city must take responsibility and act justly for the residents affected by the Palisades fire,” said Gandhi, who previously mediated between Pacific Gas & Electric and residents in similar disputes.

This lawsuit has been consolidated with more than ten similar cases filed against LADWP by residents seeking damages for their losses. The group’s attorney, Alexander Robertson, noted that claims against the utility continue to increase as homeowners seek accountability for the devastation caused by mismanagement.

The suit also mentions that LADWP’s energized power lines led to additional ignitions during a predicted Santa Ana wind event, further accelerating the wildfire’s spread. The officials knew about the risk that wildfires posed for years prior to the incident but failed to make necessary infrastructure improvements, said the suit.

Gandhi emphasized the importance of utility accountability, saying, “This situation is a clear manifestation of risks that were well-known but ignored, and the city needs to admit that.”