With Northern California’s deadly wildfires mostly contained, investigators are moving to preserve evidence in the search for the cause of the blazes. Affected homeowners have filed lawsuits alleging that inadequate power-line maintenance may have played a role.
The California Dept. of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) says the 20-plus large fires that swept through Napa and Sonoma counties Oct. 8 are 90% or more contained as of Oct. 23. The agency has been gathering evidence “from Day One” to determine the cause of the fire, says Daniel Berlant, assistant deputy director with Cal Fire.