In a massive payout for the largest wildfire in its history, Southern California Edison (SCE) is shelling out $80 million clams to the US government. This hefty sum settles claims by the US Forest Service for the dough it dropped fighting the colossal 2017 Thomas Fire, as well as damages to the scorched Los Padres National Forest, the Justice Department announced.

The settlement, which was wrapped up Friday, is a record-holder for the Central District of California. The blaze, which started in two spots on December 4, 2017, tore through more than 280,000 acres, with a stretch of over 150,000 acres in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties turning to ash. Uncle Sam slapped SCE with a lawsuit back in 2020, claiming SCE's power lines were the culprits that birthed the blaze not once, but twice. One spark-up was in Anlauf Canyon courtesy of some power lines made a little too friendly by a windstorm; the other flared up in Upper Ojai when a power pole transformer bid adieu, lighting up the nearby brush.

"This record settlement provides significant compensation to taxpayers for the extensive costs of fighting the Thomas Fire and for the widespread damage to public lands," said First Assistant United States Attorney Joseph T. McNally. In layman’s terms, the feds are working overtime to make sure anyone who harms our forests coughs up the green. Meanwhile, SCE is dodging the blame game by paying up without admitting any wrongdoing or fault. According to the agreement, they've got a mere 60 days from February 23 to pony up the cash.

The government’s beef with SCE was hashed out by the legal eagles, Assistant United States Attorneys Jill S. Casselman and Matthew Smock from the Complex and Defensive Litigation Section.You'll find more scoop on the Justice Department’s website.