SFPUC reports Rim Fire damage, estimates $40 million in recovery costs and coordinates with federal BAER teams

Deputy General Manager Michael Carlin told the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission that as of the most recent field update the Rim Fire has burned roughly 257,000 acres and is about 84% contained. "As of, yesterday, 257,000 acres, 84% contained," Carlin said, adding that the fire reached about 2% of the Hetch Hetchy watershed but that the area of actual on‑property burning is substantially smaller.

Carlin described layered recovery work with federal Burned Area Emergency Response (BAER) teams: immediate on‑the‑ground suppression cleanup, short‑term stabilization to protect life and critical cultural and natural resources, and a longer‑term restoration plan that will be delivered to the commission. He said SFPUC staff are embedded with federal teams conducting field assessments and that the utility has engaged a consultant to prepare a natural resource impact assessment to document lost ecological values.

Assistant General Manager and Chief Financial Officer Todd Wheatstrom told commissioners the utility is mapping possible funding sources, beginning with insurance and pursuing state and federal reimbursement where eligible. "It's summarized here for you and is broken down into the water enterprise and power enterprise costs. In summary, it's about $40,000,000 of projected costs," Wheatstrom said, noting insurance, FEMA and California Disaster Assistance options may apply but that state and federal aid remain subject to executive approvals and, in FEMA’s case, a consolidated request from affected counties and jurisdictions.

Carlin and Wheatstrom listed immediate operational priorities: repairing distribution poles and transmission support (Carlin estimated 300–400 distribution poles will require replacement or repair), removing hazardous trees near access roads, slope stabilization ahead of fall rains, and culvert cleanouts to reduce post‑fire erosion risk. Commissioners asked about timber salvage and erosion control; Carlin said SFPUC has signed agreements with the U.S. Forest Service and that teams will need to be strategic given the large burned area.

Wheatstrom said damage assessments of SFPUC facilities are about 83% complete and that detailed condition assessments must be finished to support insurance claims or federal reimbursement requests. He warned the reimbursement process could take many months: insurance settlements may take roughly 30 days after submission, while state and FEMA funding timelines are longer and contingent on approvals.

The commission did not take a formal funding vote at the meeting; staff said they will return with a consolidated plan that specifies how much money is needed and when, and then present funding alternatives for commission direction.