New video may shed light on what sparked Eaton Fire in Altadena

High-voltage power lines saw a temporary surge in electrical current in the area where the deadly Eaton Fire is believed to have started following a "fault" on a line elsewhere in the region's transmission network, Southern California Edison said Monday.

While the fault, or disturbance, occurred several miles away on a power line that does not traverse Eaton Canyon, it was detected at 6:11 p.m. on Jan. 7, the utility said in a filing with state public utilities regulators. That was only minutes before authorities received initial reports of a wind-fueled fire originating in the canyon at 6:18 p.m.

"The fault on this geographically distant line caused a momentary and expected increase in current on SCE's transmission system, including on the four energized lines" in Eaton Canyon, the utility said, adding, "The current increase remained within the design limits and operating criteria for these circuits and, as intended, did not trigger system protection on these lines."

The cause of the Eaton Fire, which raced down the canyon and ravaged the foothill communities of Altadena and Pasadena, remains under investigation. Southern California Edison is at the center of a wave of negligence and wrongful death lawsuits after videos taken by residents showed the flames illuminating the base of one of the utility's electrical towers clustered on a hillside, just as hurricane-force Santa Ana winds tore through the region.

While the utility said it did de-energize power distribution lines that serve homes in the area about two hours before the Eaton Fire started, the transmission lines in Eaton Canyon were not shut off because those towers are stronger and can operate at heavier winds.