PG&E disputes plan for criminal charges in 2020 wildfire

(Reuters) — PG&E Corp. said late on Thursday it disagreed with a Northern California prosecutor who said that criminal charges will be filed in last year’s Zogg Fire, arguing the California grid operator had already resolved civil claims with the affected county.

Shasta County District Attorney Stephanie Bridgett said in a Facebook post that PG&E was “criminally liable” for the fire, Bloomberg News reported, adding that a “filing decision” will be made before the Sept. 27 anniversary of the blaze.

In a statement issued in response to plans by Bridgett’s office to file criminal charges against the firm, PG&E said:

“We do not...agree with the District Attorney’s conclusion that criminal charges are warranted given the facts of this case.”

The Zogg Fire had started in Shasta County, about 200 miles north of San Francisco, on Sept. 27, 2020, and consumed more than 56,000 acres, killing four people.

PG&E said it will continue to reach settlements with individual victims and their families impacted by the Zogg Fire.