Southern California Edison’s upgraded wildfire models misjudged the Eaton Canyon fire’s scale by tenfold, raising concerns over its disaster preparedness as the blaze became one of the most destructive in U.S. history.
Southern California Edison’s (SCE) internal wildfire forecasts vastly underestimated the scale of the January Eaton Canyon fire in Los Angeles, predicting only 1,000 acres would be affected—while the blaze ultimately consumed around 14,000 acres. The discrepancy raises questions over the utility’s fire modeling capabilities, which had been upgraded with AI, advanced computing, and extensive datasets following state-level initiatives launched in 2019.
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, SCE’s miscalculations suggest limitations in how the models simulated fire spread, particularly in urban environments. Despite using 13 billion simulations across millions of ignition points and weather scenarios, SCE’s predictions covered just eight hours of fire activity, whereas the most destructive damage from the Eaton Canyon fire occurred later. The blaze destroyed roughly 9,400 structures and killed 17 people.
Though the exact cause of the Eaton fire remains under investigation, lawsuits have claimed that SCE's decision to keep some power lines active in the Altadena area may have contributed. The utility has defended its fire modeling, with Raymond Fugere, SCE’s asset intelligence director, stating the forecasts remain “actionable” and useful for decision-making. However, he acknowledged that local fuel types and wind variations may have affected simulation accuracy.
Stanford wildfire policy expert Michael Wara criticised the models for being better suited to wildland environments rather than urban settings, noting that fires like Eaton Canyon rapidly transition from vegetation to structure-based conflagrations.
Technosylva, an SCE partner and state-funded firm, reported having forecast the scale of the Los Angeles wildfires five days ahead. Yet SCE’s models also significantly underestimated the size of the concurrent Palisades fire, predicting 1,000 acres when more than 23,000 were ultimately burned.
Together, the two wildfires destroyed over 16,000 structures and resulted in an estimated $250 billion in economic losses. SCE has stated it will review its modeling strategy and consider extending simulations to 24-hour timeframes, though it warned longer projections introduce greater uncertainty.
In filings submitted in May, the company admitted the January 2025 fires have underscored the challenges of modelling fire spread into dense, built environments. SCE plans to invest $8 million this year into improving fire science and modeling—a fourfold increase from 2018.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
NATO needs to evolve to meet today’s changing world, Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday.
Pakistan has nominated U.S. President Donald Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his "diplomatic role and leadership" during the recent crisis with India.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, will travel to the United States from June 22 to 27 for a new round of high-level discussions aimed at resolving escalating trade tensions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
NATO needs to evolve to meet today’s changing world, Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday.
Iranian missiles struck multiple locations across Israel and neighbouring regions early Friday morning, including a Microsoft office complex, according to emergency responders and local media reports.
Peace is no longer a dream. It is a discussion. On the streets of Baku and Yerevan, it is also a question, of trust, of foreign interests, and of who truly wants it.
A high-speed tram derailment in central Gothenburg, Sweden, has left at least eight people injured late on Thursday (19 June), after the vehicle slammed into a snack bar on Avenyn Avenue.
The 2025 G7 Leaders’ Summit was held June 15–17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, under Canada’s presidency. Prime Minister Mark Carney framed the meeting around priorities of protecting communities, energy and climate security, the digital transition, and future partnerships.
The USS Nimitz is heading to the Middle East amid tensions between Israel and Iran. The U.S. aircraft carrier has a decades-long history in the region, from the 1979 hostage crisis to modern deployments, often serving as a key asset during periods of rising friction with Iran.
U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance visited military personnel in Los Angeles on Friday following their deployment to the city earlier this month in response to protests triggered by federal immigration enforcement actions.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, will travel to the United States from June 22 to 27 for a new round of high-level discussions aimed at resolving escalating trade tensions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
As Argentina’s unemployment hits a four-year high, the spotlight has turned to the libertarian administration of President Javier Milei, whose sweeping economic reforms are reshaping the country’s social and labour landscape.
South Korea’s chief trade negotiator, Yeo Han-koo, will travel to the United States from June 22 to 27 for a new round of high-level discussions aimed at resolving escalating trade tensions, the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy announced on Saturday.
US President Donald Trump said Friday that a major deal with Harvard University could be announced soon.
US President Donald Trump rejected the official assessment from his intelligence community that Iran is not currently building a nuclear weapon.
NATO needs to evolve to meet today’s changing world, Italy’s Defense Minister Guido Crosetto said Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment