Salem area wineries sue Pacific Power over Labor Day fires

Willamette Valley Vineyards has filed an $8.1 million lawsuit against Pacific Power and its parent company PacifiCorp claiming that the electric company’s failure to shut off power to prevent further ignition during the 2020 Labor Day fires led to substantial losses and smoke damage at vineyards in the area.

Willamette Valley Vineyards, located just south of Salem in Turner, claim in the lawsuit that despite forecasts of heavy winds over 50 mph and a red-flag…