By Marcy Stamper
The status report on the Twisp River Fire fatalities indicates a point of origin on a map, but does not discuss any cause of the fire. But sources close to the investigation are fairly confident that the fire was caused by a powerline failure, according to attorney Rodney Nelson.
Nelson, a partner with the Yakima law firm of Abeyta Nelson who specializes in helping people recover wildland fire losses not covered by insurance, said he has been told by sources in the field that “it’s a powerline case.”
“It’s not anything I know for certain by firsthand knowledge yet,” said Nelson. “We are still waiting on the fire investigation report, which is likely to contain the most accurate information about the cause of the fire. At this time, the only ‘official’ information we have is that the fire was ‘human caused,’” said Nelson last week by email.
Nelson had enough confidence in the preliminary conclusions about a cause of the fire that he and two colleagues came to Twisp in October to make a presentation to people who lost household goods, vehicles or timber.
“It could be a different cause, but most of the time [the people he works with in the field] are right,” Nelson told the three members of the public who attended the presentation.
When a fire has a natural cause such as lightning, there is typically no recourse, but when there is human cause — even if it is an accident — there is the potential to recover losses, Nelson told them.
The powerlines on that part of Twisp River Road, about 6 miles west of town, are part of the network operated by the Okanogan County Electric Co-operative. David Gottula, general manager of the co-op, said earlier this month that the utility did its own investigation and provided the information to the U.S. Forest Service for their investigation.
“We have given them everything we have. Our books are totally open,” said Gottula. Gottula said he did not know the status of the investigation. The co-op is fully insured, he said.
Nelson and his firm help people recover losses through a process known as subrogation, which insurance companies use to recover damages. They do not file lawsuits against agencies or firefighters, said Nelson.
A map in the status report on the fatalities released last week by the U.S. Forest Service and the Washington Department of Natural Resources puts the point of origin on Twisp River Road about ¼-mile west of the road where the fatalities occurred. It notes that a Forest Service law-enforcement investigation is ongoing, but says investigators have no indication of any criminal activity or malicious intent. It otherwise does not address any investigation into the cause.
