Years after 2017 Tubbs Fire, survivors still fighting for full compensation

By Kenny Choi

Nine years after the deadly 2017 Tubbs Fire tore through Santa Rosa, destroying thousands of homes and forever changing lives, much of the community has rebuilt. But for some wildfire survivors, the financial recovery remains unfinished.

Billions of dollars in approved compensation remain unpaid, and a newly signed California law could help survivors recover more of the money they were awarded.

For Will Abrams, the night of October 8, 2017, remains unforgettable.

“Kids screaming, ‘We’re going to die,'” Abrams recalled. “As a father I had to try to be brave. But I was thinking this was the end as well.”

The Tubbs Fire devastated neighborhoods across Santa Rosa, including Hidden Hills, where Abrams once lived.

Nine years later, newly constructed homes line streets where flames destroyed properties. Abrams had hoped to rebuild in the neighborhood but ultimately decided to sell his lot and purchase a less expensive home closer to downtown Santa Rosa.

He says many survivors faced similar financial obstacles.

“People are unable to rebuild so they have to sell their lot to people who have higher incomes that can rebuild and self-insure,” Abrams said.

As part of PG&E’s 2020 bankruptcy settlement, the utility helped establish and fund a multibillion-dollar Fire Victim Trust to compensate survivors of devastating Northern California wildfires. According to the Fire Victim Trust, more than $19.5 billion in victim compensation awards have been approved. As of September 30, a little more than 70% had been paid, leaving nearly 30% unpaid.

Abrams helped advocate for Assembly Bill 2700, which Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law in September. The legislation requires state regulators to assess the compensation shortfall and recommend potential solutions. However, it does not immediately require PG&E to pay the remaining balance.

“We should not still be fighting for dollars now,” Abrams said.

He describes the prolonged effort to obtain full compensation as another hardship for survivors.

“It’s hard to categorize it in any other way than financial abuse. Victims have been abused in all sorts of ways through this process,” Abrams said.

While survivors continue their fight for compensation, Santa Rosa fire officials say the region is better prepared for another major wildfire than it was nine years ago.

Paul Lowenthal of the Santa Rosa Fire Department pointed to increased firefighting resources and improvements in emergency communications.

“We have more firefighters, staffing stations and departments around the county,” Lowenthal said. “We have improvements to our alert and warning system, so in the event of a large-scale wildfire, we’re able to get people out of harm’s way faster and quicker.”

Abrams believes his community has become more resilient, too. But he says the financial battle is far from over.

“We are not done yet,” Abrams said. “We will not be done on this piece of the legislation until there’s money in the hands of victims that are suffering.”

CBS News Bay Area asked PG&E whether the company believes it has any further responsibility to compensate wildfire victims for the remaining shortfall despite its bankruptcy settlement. The station also requested a response to Newsom signing AB 2700 into law.

PG&E had not responded as of publication. Previously, the utility has denied that it is responsible for the Tubbs Fire, but it has paid a $13.6 billion settlement to wildfire victims, including from the Tubbs Fire.