When five Union Pacific Railroad Co. workers neglected to observe safety regulations while repairing tracks in August of 2000 they set fire to flammable materials and gave life to a blaze that would burn through 52,000 acres over three weeks in the Plumas and Lassen National Forests.
Now Union has agreed to pay $102 million in a landmark settlement. However, the company will not admit that the crew did anything wrong because they feel that the circumstances were extraordinary. The company claims that though the crew was working without spark shields they quickly extinguished the flames and then a passing train reignited them.
Over 2,500 firefighters battled the fire at a cost of $22 million. However, U.S. attorneys argued that the actual damage cost far exceeded that figure. The other $80 million will go to repairing trails, land and clearing out and cleaning areas that are now environmentally hazardous.
The last settlement reached due to a company's responsibility for a wildfire was $14 million paid by Southern California Edison. They were held responsible for the Big Creek Fire in the Sierra National Forest back in 2006.