Settlement Reached with Stihl Inc. in Jesusita Fire Homeowner Lawsuit ↳ Part of Series

Context: Jesusita Fire (2009) Metrics

• Acreage: 8,733
• Ignition: May 5, 2009, approx. 1:39 p.m.; Sparks from a metal-bladed brush cutter striking rocks.
• Containment: May 18, 2009
• Structures Destroyed: 80 homes
• Injuries/Fatalities: 30 firefighters injured
• Lead Agency: Unified Command including Santa Barbara County Fire and CAL FIRE

In August 2013, power tool manufacturer Stihl Incorporated reached a confidential settlement with 60 homeowners whose residences were destroyed in the 2009 Jesusita Fire. The civil lawsuit, filed in July 2011, asserted Stihl was negligent for failing to adequately warn users that its metal-bladed brush cutters could generate sparks capable of igniting vegetation. This product liability case, which followed a separate state settlement with the contractors who operated the equipment, marked a significant effort to establish corporate accountability for a product's role in a catastrophic wildfire.

The lawsuit stemmed from the Jesusita Fire, which began on May 5, 2009, when contractors Dana Larsen and Craig Ilenstine were clearing brush along the Jesusita Trail. Official investigations by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and CAL FIRE concluded that sparks from the Stihl tool striking rocks ignited dry grasses in hot, windy conditions, starting a blaze that burned for nearly two weeks.

Represented by attorney Brian Heffernan, the homeowners argued that Stihl had a duty under the California Public Resources Code to include a specific warning about fire risk, which was absent from the product's manual. The plaintiffs' case was supported by fire agency tests demonstrating that the tool could indeed start fires under field conditions. Stihl's defense countered that the sparks produced were insufficient to cause ignition.

The case was resolved through court-ordered mediation, avoiding a trial. This product liability suit was one of several legal actions following the fire. In July 2010, the contractors pleaded no contest to misdemeanor charges for working without proper permits. In December 2012, CAL FIRE also settled with the contractors for a reported $2 million to recover a portion of the firefighting costs.