Utility says its equipment likely started a small blaze that erupted during January's LA firestorm

SYLMAR, LOS ANGELES -- A California inferior said Thursday that its instrumentality apt sparked a wildfire successful Los Angeles that broke retired the aforesaid time arsenic 2 monolithic blazes successful the country killed astatine slightest 29 radical and destroyed thousands of homes.

The admittance by Southern California Edison implicit its apt relation successful the Hurst Fire, which did not destruct immoderate structures oregon effect successful immoderate deaths, came successful a required filing with authorities inferior regulators.

The inferior acknowledged past period that occurrence agencies were investigating whether its instrumentality whitethorn person started the Hurst Fire, which scorched astir 800 acres successful the Sylmar area.

"Absent further evidence, SCE believes its instrumentality whitethorn beryllium associated with the ignition of the Hurst Fire," Thursday's filing said.

In a 2nd filing, the inferior said it is looking into whether an idle transmission enactment became energized and perchance sparked the deadly Eaton Fire, which devastated Altadena. But it inactive maintains there's nary grounds that its instrumentality was liable for starting that blaze.

The Eaton Fire, which killed astatine slightest 17 people, was afloat contained past week. Full containment was besides reached connected the Palisades Fire, the largest of the blazes that destroyed thousands of homes and killed astatine slightest 12 people.