California Wildfires Drive Up Monthly Utility Bills, Report Says

A new report shows surcharges tied to wildfires now make up a significant share of Californians’ utility bills.

Empty foundations of former residences that burned in the Los Angeles fires along the coastline in Pacific Palisades, Calif., on July 5, 2025. Allan Stein/The Epoch Times

California’s wildfires are adding as much as $41 a month to residents’ utility bills, according to a new government report.

“Wildfire risk is not just an occasional catastrophe, but a recurring cost embedded in the state’s economy,” the California Earthquake Authority said in the report, released April 7. The authority manages a $21 billion wildfire fund that helps pay claims against utilities.