Utility: ‘Circuit activity’ near time of California fire

LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (AP) — Southern California Edison has advised state utility regulators that unspecified electrical “circuit activity” occurred around the time a destructive wildfire erupted in the coastal community of Laguna Niguel. The Coastal Fire was reported around 2:43 p.m. Wednesday in the Orange County city. SoCal Edison says in a report to the California Public Utilities Commission that the investigation is continuing but there was circuit activity close in time to the reported time of the fire. Last year, the Public Utilities Commission approved a settlement placing more than half a billion dollars in fines and penalties on Southern California Edison for its role in five wildfires in 2017 and 2018.