Oregon wildfires News

Buffett’s PacifiCorp Suspected of Collusion by Wildfire Victims’ Law Firms

The law firms leading class-action litigation against PacifiCorp over the 2020 Labor Day weekend wildfires in Oregon want to examine whether the utility owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway is colluding with other law firms to reach lowball settlements with …

Berkshire Utility Settles 403 More Fire Claims for $178 Million

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s PacifiCorp said it agreed to pay $178 million to 403 victims of Oregon’s 2020 Labor Day wildfires, reducing the company’s exposure even as it still faces thousands of other claims. The accord announced Monday comes after attorneys …

Oregon Wineries and Vineyards Seek $100M from PacifiCorp for Wildfire Smoke Damage

Dozens of Oregon wineries and vineyards have sued PacifiCorp over the deadly 2020 wildfires that ravaged the state, alleging that the utility’s decision to not turn off power during the Labor Day windstorm contributed to blazes whose smoke and soot …

Buffett’s Oregon Fire Costs Grow as He Sours on Utilities

Berkshire Hathaway Inc.’s PacifiCorp was hit with at least another $29.3 million in damages for Oregon’s 2020 Labor Day fires, the latest blow for the company after Chairman Warren Buffett recently warned that he no longer views investments in western …

Berkshire Utility Sells $3.8 Billion Bond to Pay Wildfire Claims

Berkshire Hathaway Energy Co.’s PacifiCorp sold $3.8 billion of US investment-grade bonds to help fund settlement claims related to wildfires in Oregon. The electric utility issued debt in four parts, with the longest portion — a long 30-year fixed-rate note …

Verdict in Oregon Wildfires Case Highlights Risks Utilities Face amid Climate Change

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A jury verdict that found an Oregon power company liable for devastating wildfires – and potentially billions of dollars in damages – is highlighting the legal and financial risks utilities take if they fail to take …

PacifiCorp Could Be on the Hook for Billions After Jury Verdict in Oregon Wildfires

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) – A jury in Oregon on Monday found the electric utility PacifiCorp responsible for causing devastating fires during Labor Day weekend in 2020, ordering the company to pay tens of millions of dollars to 17 homeowners who …

Oregon Wildfire Sparks Eruption Comparisons

People in Oregon covered their faces with scarves to keep choking ash from wildfires from filling their lungs and wiped the soot from windshields, similar to what long-time residents said they had to do in 1980 during the volcanic eruption …

Multiple Wildfires Burn in Oregon; 4,500 Residents Evacuated

Wildfires in Oregon are burning an area roughly equivalent to half the state of Rhode Island, affecting air quality throughout the state and forcing the evacuations of more than 4,500 people, fire authorities said Wednesday. Two dozen fires in southern, …

Oregon Sues People Suspected of Starting 2 Wildfires

The State of Oregon has filed lawsuits against people it says were responsible for starting two forest fires. The state filed one suit against a man who is accused of napping while his campfire sparked a 200-acre Southern Oregon blaze, …