Edison Hosts Final Town Hall on Fire Compensation
Southern California Edison's last in-person meeting on its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program comes as a related Eaton fire trial date has moved.
Updated on Nov. 10, 2026 in Utilities
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If you were a wildfire survivor, would you accept a utility's compensation offer?
Southern California Edison will host its final in-person town hall on its Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program on November 19, 2026, a virtual session following earlier meetings drew more than 100 participants. The utility's equipment has been found to have sparked the Eaton fire, and a Los Angeles County judge has moved the related trial from January to early March.
Why it matters
The program offers Eaton fire survivors an alternative to litigation, but accepting an offer means giving up the right to sue SCE for fire damages. Altadena town councilmembers have called for the November 30 claims deadline to be extended, though SCE representatives said they had heard no plans for an extension.
SCE has extended more than 3,320 offers totaling over $1.1 billion, with about $660 million paid out, according to utility-reported program figures. It is unresolved whether the November 30 claims deadline will be extended.
The players
Southern California Edison
Southern California's major electric utility, whose equipment has been found to have sparked the Eaton fire and which runs the compensation program.
The details
The town hall is part of SCE's outreach on the program, which lets those in litigation apply through their legal representative. Only 1% of those who experienced total loss in the burn zones have returned home, while the share selling or planning to sell rose to 11%, up from 7% in June.
Timeline
November 19, 2026: Virtual town hall on the compensation program
November 30, 2026: Deadline to submit compensation program claims
January 2027: Originally scheduled Eaton fire trial date
Early March 2027: Rescheduled Eaton fire trial date
Industry Context
SCE's compensation program is an alternative to the litigation path that followed the Eaton fire, in which equipment liability is being tested in court. The trial's postponement from January to early March extends the period in which survivors must weigh offers against suing.
Eaton fire survivors with claims must decide before November 30 whether to submit to the compensation program, since accepting an offer ends the right to sue SCE for fire damages. Those already in litigation can apply through their legal representative.
The takeaway
Survivors weighing SCE's offers should compare them against the potential outcome of the March 2027 trial, since acceptance is final. Checking the November 30 deadline early leaves time to consult a legal representative.
What happens next
The Eaton fire trial is rescheduled for early March 2027, and the compensation claims deadline falls on November 30, 2026.
Further reading
For more on utility wildfire liability, see Utilities coverage.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Daily News.
Live Poll
If you were a wildfire survivor, would you accept a utility's compensation offer?
