Archie Aldis Emmerson

The 2007 Moonlight Fire started on September 3 in Lassen County, California. Federal investigators determined that a Sierra Pacific Industries contractor negligently caused the fire — a determination SPI contested. It burned for weeks, scorching 64,997 acres of Northern California forest, more than 46,000 of which were federal land in the Plumas and Lassen National Forests. The federal government sued SPI in the Eastern District of California. In July 2012, SPI settled for $122.5 million — at the time, the largest wildfire settlement in U.S. history. The terms required SPI to pay $47 million in cash (with eight other defendants contributing a further $8 million), and to convey 22,500 acres of SPI timberland to the U.S. Forest Service. SPI appealed. The Ninth Circuit unanimously upheld the settlement in July 2017 (No. 15-15799). The U.S. Supreme Court denied certiorari in June 2018. The settlement stands. A separate California state case — run by Cal Fire on different evidence — was vacated in 2014 by a Plumas County superior court judge who found Cal Fire had committed 'a vast array of egregious and reprehensible evidentiary violations,' ordering Cal Fire to pay over $32 million in sanctions. SPI and its lawyers cite this vacatur routinely. It does not bear on the federal case. The federal proceeding operated on separate evidence, was prosecuted by separate agencies, was tried in federal court, and was upheld at the Ninth Circuit and affirmed by SCOTUS cert denial. The federal charge stands. Archie Aldis Emmerson founded Sierra Pacific Industries and remains its controlling owner. His sons George (President) and Mark (CEO) run day-to-day operations. As the billionaire who built and controls the company, Emmerson bears the ownership accountability for what SPI caused and what SPI paid.

• —September 3, 2007: Moonlight Fire ignites in Lassen County, CA. Federal investigation attributes the cause to negligence by a Sierra Pacific Industries contractor.
• —64,997 total acres burned — 46,000+ acres of federal forest in Plumas and Lassen National Forests.
• —Federal lawsuit: U.S. v. Sierra Pacific Industries, No. 2:09-02445 (E.D. Cal.).
• —July 2012: SPI settles for $122.5M — at the time, the largest wildfire settlement in U.S. history. Terms: $47M cash (SPI's share) + 22,500 acres of SPI timberland conveyed to the U.S. Forest Service.
• —SPI appeals. Ninth Circuit unanimously upholds the settlement (July 2017, No. 15-15799).
• —June 2018: U.S. Supreme Court denies certiorari. Settlement is final.
• —Separate California state case vacated in 2014 by Plumas County superior court for Cal Fire evidentiary violations; Cal Fire ordered to pay $32M+ in sanctions. This does not affect the federal settlement.
• —Zero criminal charges filed against any SPI executive.