BOULDER COUNTY, Colo. — Seven lawsuits filed against Xcel Energy claiming the company was partly responsible for the most destructive wildfire in Colorado history were combined into a single suit.
The order issued Tuesday by Boulder County District Court Judge Christopher Zenisek says that Xcel requested the consolidation and that none of the plaintiffs objected before the deadline.
Boulder County Sheriff Curtis Johnson and District Attorney Michael Dougherty announced the results of the nearly 18-month investigation into the cause and origin of the Marshall Fire in June.
The fire destroyed more than 1,000 homes and killed two people. The wildfire erupted late the morning of Dec. 30, 2021, and was fueled by hurricane-force winds as it raced across the county.
The investigation concluded that an intentionally set trash fire on property owned by a religious group known as Twelve Tribes was the initial point of origin for the Marshall Fire.
Roughly 40 minutes after that fire ignited, a second blaze began nearby, sparked by hot particles discharged from an Xcel Energy power line at the Marshall Mesa Trailhead, the investigation found.
The full list of lawsuits filed in Boulder County that were combined can be seen below:
- Uridil et al. v. Xcel Energy Inc. et al.
- Sellers et al. v. Xcel Energy Inc. et al.
- Bittner et al. v. Public Service Co. of Colorado
- Wallace et al. v. Public Service Co. of Colorado
- Allstate Fire & Casualty Ins. et al. v. Public Service Co. of Colorado et al.
- Hauke et al. v. Xcel Energy Inc. et al.
- Mandal et al. v. Xcel Energy Inc. et al.
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