FIRE - POWER - MONEY
With California’s wildfires growing deadlier and bigger than ever, ABC10 examines the connection between wildfires, PG&E and its influence on California politics.
ABC10's investigative series on Pacific Gas & Electric, and the utility company's connection to California's recent deadly wildfires, has been nominated for a Peabody Award.
Read the full announcement here and watch all episodes of the series below.
Season Two Special
The season two FIRE – POWER – MONEY special combines the major findings of all four episodes examining the connection between wildfires, PG&E and its influence on state politics as California’s wildfires continue to worsen.
For a more in-depth look into the wildfire and PG&E crisis, watch all four episodes below.
With California’s wildfires growing deadlier and bigger than ever, the state’s largest power company admitted to the largest corporate homicide in American history. PG&E killed 84 people by when its power lines started the 2018 Camp Fire that destroyed the town of Paradise. Our investigation will take you behind the scenes of the criminal prosecution and look into how PG&E and the California state government are avoiding accountability.
Episode One: It Was A Crime
As California wildfires break records due to a combination of overgrown forests and climate change, the state faces another crisis: our biggest power company is a criminal enterprise with a tendency to spark wildfires. PG&E is now guilty of America’s largest corporate manslaughter. Experts say PG&E hasn’t cleaned up its act and worry it will kill again.
Episode Two: Criminal Thinking
PG&E owns and operates the biggest machine in California: our electric grid. To prevent the machine from sparking wildfires, PG&E implemented planned blackouts during windstorms. But are these blackouts really working? PG&E is already the subject of a new homicide investigation.
Episode Three: Killer Corporation
PG&E pleaded guilty as charged to the manslaughter of 84 people, but it tried to avoid being charged at all. We take you inside the criminal investigation and reveal never-before-shared details about the struggle to bring PG&E to justice. The prosecution team shares that one state agency got in their way.
Episode Four: The Whistleblower
PG&E’s state government regulator decided not to punish the company with a fine for safety violations that led to deadly wildfires. The agency’s former director explains that what the state government promoted as the “largest penalty ever” was actually no penalty at all.
'Blood Money'
An ABC10 Originals investigation: PG&E pleaded guilty to the felony killing of 84 people and negotiated down the amount it paid to victims, but kept on donating to California political campaigns.
Read the full story here and watch more episodes of FIRE -- POWER -- MONEY below for in-depth stories about the relationship between PG&E and California's wildfire crisis.
'Run to Failure'
ABC10 Investigation: Evidence used to convict PG&E of the 2018 Camp Fire shows the company knew old parts needed replacing, but tried to show they could last longer.
Read the full story here and watch more episodes of FIRE -- POWER -- MONEY below for in-depth stories about the relationship between PG&E and California's wildfire crisis.
'Junk Science'
An ABC10 investigation reveals how PG&E made shutoff decisions to prevent wind-sparked wildfires without good wind data. PG&E could have afforded to do better.
Watch more episodes of FIRE -- POWER -- MONEY below for in-depth stories about the relationship between PG&E and California's wildfire crisis.
'Politics and Crime'
ABC10’s investigation found California politicians kept taking money from PG&E after the company pleaded guilty to 84 felony manslaughters. Evidence of PG&E’s crimes is beginning to come out and the company faces new criminal investigations for sparking deadly, destructive wildfires.
Watch Season 1:
As California’s wildfires continue to break records due to overgrown forests and climate change, the state faces another crisis. The biggest power company is a convicted felon with a tendency to spark new fires. PG&E is guilty of America’s largest corporate manslaughter case. Experts say PG&E has avoided accountability for its crimes and worried the power company will kill again. But how did we get here? Can anyone force PG&E to be safer?
Contact us:
To contact the team with tips, email Investigative Reporter Brandon Rittiman at brittiman@abc10.com or fill out our form below.