Community Voices Shape Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program

Learn about the themes SCE heard at the community input workshops and how the feedback will be used.

October 09, 2025

Southern California Edison recently organized four community workshops to gather feedback before the Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program launches this fall.

Takeaways from these sessions are being reviewed by compensation fund experts, including Kenneth R. Feinberg and Camille S. Biros, who are working with SCE to design the program. Their past work includes establishing successful claims programs following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks, the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion in the Gulf of Mexico and the design of many similar programs. The pair also held separate sessions to gather input from plaintiff attorneys.

These insights are helping SCE refine the program to provide fast, fair resolutions for those directly impacted by the Eaton Fire.

ComInputWorkshop01 — Community members gathered at Loma Alta Park for SCE's recent workshop to voice their thoughts on the upcoming Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program.

Questions SCE asked workshop participants:

Are there any individuals or groups that you think should be eligible but are not identified?
Please provide feedback if you believe there are properties that should be eligible but are not identified.
What questions do you have on the two options — Fast Pay and Detailed Review? What needs to be clarified to make the two options clearer?
Please provide feedback on whether you believe there are categories of compensation that are missing or should be eligible but are not identified. What questions come to mind when you review the categories of compensation?
In regard to the required documents, would any documents be difficult to provide? Regarding the submission process, what might be unclear or missing?
If you could change one thing about the program, what would it be?
What part of the program is most useful or beneficial to you?

Key community takeaways:

Clarity needed: Participants want more information about eligibility, property values, insurance offsets, tax implications, secondary structures and landscaping.
Eligibility modifications: Expanding program eligibility beyond the fire perimeter in the draft protocol was a frequent request.
Compensation amounts: Community members asked about compensation for noneconomic damages, including their experience of going through the Eaton Fire.
One-on-one support: In-person assistance is viewed as a must-have, especially for those who are not tech-savvy or have other support needs.

Next steps: The feedback shared during each workshop, in addition to input from other avenues, is being carefully reviewed by SCE and its compensation fund experts. Program updates will be announced as part of the launch this fall.

In the meantime, below are answers to some of the most frequently asked questions during the workshops.

FAQ:

Q: Who is eligible for compensation under the program and will it be expanded?

A: You can find a list of eligibility factors in the program website’s FAQ.

Based on feedback to reconsider the fire perimeter outlined in the draft protocol, especially related to smoke, soot or ash damage, SCE is exploring an expansion of the eligibility area. More details will be shared upon program launch.

Q: How are offers calculated?

A: The formulas outlined in the protocol will guide SCE’s offer calculations (see the draft in Attachment 3). The Fast Pay methodology has been carefully designed to fairly compensate the majority of claimants.

If an impacted community member has a complex situation that requires extra consideration, they can opt for a Detailed Review, which requires substantially more inputs than Fast Pay, such as financial records, a possible site inspection, complete insurance files and insurance offsets on all types of claims. It could also result in a lower offer.

Q: How does insurance affect my compensation?

A: Under Fast Pay, if the claimant still owns the residence and it is classified as destroyed, there is an insurance offset. This factors in the part of the offer that considers economic damages for estimated rebuild costs, personal property and loss of use in its calculations. Applicable insurance that the claimant may have for any of the above is deducted from the offer, as is typical for settlement offers in litigation.

Claimants may still pursue reimbursement from their insurers in these categories. Fixed compensation amounts for noneconomic damages and the Direct Claim Premium, for example, do not have an insurance offset.

View sample offers for a range of scenarios (e.g., owner-occupied single-family residence) on the program’s website.

SCE remains committed to listening and learning from the community. Additional clarity and updates to the program will be shared up to, and at, the program’s launch later this fall.

Community Voices Shape Wildfire Recovery Compensation Program

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