The Maui Fires, caused by Maui Electric’s failure to turn off the power during a extreme high-wind event, destroyed many small businesses, including sole proprietorships in and around Lahaina.  A sole proprietorship is unique in that business operations may be conducted out of the owner’s home, an office or workspace, or on-site at a client’s…

In Washington State, a utility “can burn down your house and get away with it,” according to an article in the Seattle Times.  That’s because unlike California, Washington does not hold utilities responsible for wildfires that they spark under the doctrine of inverse condemnation.  Rather, it leaves it to regulators to control the conduct of…

A number of myths are causing victims to delay bringing a Dixie Fire claim against PG&E or, even worse, to think they don’t have a claim. Myth No. 1: PG&E is Bankrupt Not true. Pacific Gas and Electric Company and its parent corporation, PG&E, filed for bankruptcy in 2019 following the massive 2018 Camp Fire…

The damage to forested property doesn’t stop when the fire is put out. Rather, the property often continues to deteriorate, especially during the first winter following a wildfire such as the Dixie Fire.  The land will look in the spring much different than it looks now. So will the surviving trees, roads, and community infrastructure. …