Electric utility company PacifiCorp has been found liable by an Oregon jury for causing four devastating wildfires in the state in 2020.
The 12-person Multnomah County jury found the Portland-headquartered company—which is the state’s second-largest electrical utility—grossly negligent and its conduct reckless, and determined that PacifiCorp should pay out almost $72 million in damages to various victims, The Oregonian reported.
The payment stems from a $1.6 billion class action lawsuit filed against PacifiCorp by 17 property owners and survivors of the Santiam Canyon fire east of Salem, the Echo Mountain fire near Lincoln City, the South Obenchain fire in Jackson County, and the 242 fire in Klamath County….