Southern California Edison crews lift part of a transmission line suspected of sparking the Eaton fire in 2025. Investigators concluded that the utility's equipment sparked the Los Angeles County fire that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 structures.

Hours after the Eaton Fire tore through Altadena in Los Angeles County, families struggled to come to terms with the lives that had been lost, the homes destroyed and the physical fabric of a community gone. In the days that followed, county workers cleared roads and protected drinking water while recovery organizations connected survivors with shelter. Recovery had begun.

That is how recovery starts after every catastrophic wildfire. Communities cannot wait for lawsuits or insurance claims. They do everything possible to become livable again.

Now we know what caused the Eaton Fire: Investigators concluded that Southern California Edison equipment sparked the fire that killed 19 people and destroyed more than 9,400 homes and other structures.

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Yet Gov. Gavin Newsom and the California Legislature reportedly are considering proposals that would limit or absolve investor-owned utilities of liability for fires their equipment caused. Supporters say it is about affordability — that limiting utility liability will reduce the costs Californians ultimately pay on their utility bills. But there is nothing “affordable” about protecting shareholder profits at the expense of survivors and communities. It is the wrong solution.

The Eaton Fire was not an anomaly. In 2020, PG&E paid more than $25 billion in damages following several Northern California fires. Its equipment caused the 2018 Camp Fire, which killed 85........

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