SDG&E; Denies Being Responsible for Fire on Cowles Mountain

San Diego Gas & Electric announced Wednesday that it is refusing to take the blame for a Sept. 3 brush fire on Cowles Mountain that damaged at least 21 homes and burned more than 600 acres.

“The fire was due to the unusual weather conditions of that day . . . high winds and high temperature,” Earl Ligone, a senior attorney with the utility, said.

Although denying that SDG&E; was responsible for the fire, Ligone said the utility is undecided on whether to pay the $111,901 claim for firefighting expenses submitted by the city of Santee. Ligone said the utility may take up to 30 days to decide.

Santee Fire Chief George Tockstein said Wednesday that the fire was caused by “faulty wires that were not properly maintained.”

Grass Ignited

He said witnesses saw the wire arcing until sparks ignited dry grass on the mountain’s northeast side.

He said the claim may very well end up in court, but added that the utility has until Nov. 26 to respond.

The two-day blaze began at midday when a gust of wind knocked together two high-voltage utility lines. It fanned out in three directions across the park and had burned across more than 600 acres by nightfall.

The fire spread through canyons crisscrossing several San Carlos neighborhoods, but caused only roof damage to homes.

Other Claims

A utility claims representative, Mike Nash, said that SDG&E; has received over the years several such claims for fire suppression costs, but most have been for $200 or less.

“This is definitely one of, if not the largest, claims we have received for reimbursements on a fire,” said SDG&E; spokesman Tom Murnane.

A big chunk of the claim--almost $50,000--will toward overtime and labor costs for about 42 firefighters from the Santee Fire Department; about $7,000 for fire equipment; about $7,000 for food; and about $12,000 for rental of four air tankers, three helicopters and a bulldozer provided by the U.S. Forest Service and the California Department of Forestry.

Other county fire departments were alerted to help fight the September blaze, including the San Diego Fire Department.

The San Diego Fire Department will not file a claim mainly because the fire occurred within Santee’s jurisdiction and because “there was no proof of negligence,” said Norman Newton, a department spokesman.