The California Public Utilities Commission voted Oct. 8 to partially grant Southern California Edison’s petition to change high-fire-threat-district boundaries, adding 47 areas covering approximately 208 square miles while rejecting the utility’s proposed removal of 61 areas covering about 168 square miles.
Commissioners said the record did not adequately demonstrate that wildfire risk had declined in the areas SCE sought to remove. The item passed with a 4-0 vote recorded; Commissioner Baker was not present for the vote, according to the CPUC’s Oct. 8 voting-meeting record.
The commission also directed staff to hold a workshop expected in early 2027 with state fire-safety agencies, utilities, wildfire experts and other stakeholders to develop a faster and more effective process for updating the maps. The current action affects areas subject to CPUC wildfire-safety requirements, but the meeting record does not establish the final cost of implementing the adopted boundaries.
Commissioners discussed approximately $8 million to $11 million in potential ratepayer savings associated with the rejected removals. Those figures were presented as potential savings, not as a final estimate of the cost impact of the commission’s decision. The adopted decision and map files in Rulemaking 15-05-006 will be needed to identify the specific locations and implementation requirements.
