Late last month, acting U.S. Attorney Michele Beckwith announced that Sierra Pacific Industries (SPI) agreed to pay $204,284.42 to resolve the United States’ claim for damages resulting from a 2021 wildfire that burned approximately 29 acres, including National Forest System lands on the Eldorado National Forest. SPI is a forest products company that owns and manages more than 2.4 million acres in California, Oregon and Washington. The Anderson, California-based company manufactures doors, windows and wall systems under Sierra Pacific Windows.
The wildfire, known as the “Cold Fire,” ignited on Jan. 19, 2021, on SPI land in El Dorado County, California, the United States Attorney’s Office in the Eastern District of California reported. U.S. Forest Service fire investigators determined that the fire originated from one of SPI’s timber slash piles that escaped containment during a wind event.
“Our office will continue to hold individuals and corporations responsible for damages caused by wildfires,” said acting U.S. Attorney Beckwith. “Every fire impacting federal lands, no matter the size, is a priority.”
The investigation was conducted with the U.S. Forest Service. Assistant U.S. Attorney Tara Amin handled the case for the U.S. Attorney’s Office.
“These settlements are essential in restoring our landscapes after wildfires,” said U.S. Forest Service Pacific Southwest acting regional forester Jason Kuiken.
The claims resolved by the settlement are allegations only and there has been no determination of liability.
SPI’s efforts to mitigate future instances of wildfire spread have included creating “shaded fuel breaks,” intentionally thinned out areas of forests, often near towns and major roads. Company officials closed public access to its Oregon forestlands last summer, when there was an increased risk of wildfires, and launched an initiative earlier this year to combat wildfires on federal land and in local communities in California and Oregon.