Potential Options Becoming Available for Victims of San Diego Wildfires
In the fall of 2007, residents of San Diego were once again forced to deal with a disaster that caused several billions of dollars in damage and forced many from their homes. The wildfires that ravaged the area in October ruined many lives, caused immeasurable stress and heartache and left a wake of destruction not before seen in the area.
There were two fires in particular that almost seemed to target residential areas in San Diego County, and each of them is briefly described below:
Witch Creek Fire Data: (from - CAL FIRE)
The Witch Creek Fire started on October 21, 2007 at 12:35 p.m. This blaze began to burn just to the east of Ramona, a San Diego County community, and eventually burned a total of almost 200,000 acres of land. More than 1,600 buildings were completely destroyed, and more than 1,100 of these structures were residential homes. 42 people were recorded as fatalities, and this includes fire fighters and civilians.
Rice Canyon Fire Data: (from - CAL FIRE)
The Rice Canyon Fire may have been smaller in size, and “only” burned a total of 9,472 acres of land, but it still destroyed hundreds of homes and lives in the process. This blaze started in Fallbrook on October 22, 2007 at 4:16 p.m., and destroyed more than 200 homes before it was finally contained. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of this fire was that it was determined to have been caused by humans, and five people were injured as a result.
Reactions
The first normal reaction by any person in the immediate aftermath of a disaster like this one is to attempt to find out why it happened, how it happened and how it can be prevented in the future. To some extent, wildfires in areas like San Diego County cannot be avoided, as the end of the dry season when combined with lightning will naturally lead to these sorts of situations.
However, when these fires are either created or negligently caused by human error or even recklessness, people look for and deserve the ability to enforce legal rights. One of the causes of these fires that has been tied to the destructive continuation of them is faulty power lines that were supposed to have been maintained by San Diego Gas & Electric, and allegations are surfacing that improper upkeep and insufficient preventative measures in regards to these power lines contributed greatly to the ultimate destruction these two fires caused.
If you or someone you love suffered in either of these fires, you need to take action and contact an attorney, as a class action lawsuit is being formulated against SDG&E in San Diego County. You may have rights and legal options, but you need to take the first step. Contact an attorney today.
