A group of Altadena residents are suing Southern California Edison over the deadly eaton fire that has burned thousands of buildings, including homes and schools.

Attorneys representing those affected by the Eaton Fire filed a lawsuit against Southern California Edison alleging that the company's equipment sparked the disastrous blaze in Altadena.

The court filings blame the utility for the fire despite the fact that the blaze's cause is still under investigation.

Los Angeles County is facing "critical fire conditions" after firefighters have for days battled deadly wildfires that have razed entire neighborhoods, and the situation is expected to worsen this week.

Wildfires are common in California, but the deaths caused by Eaton and Palisades Fires burning across Los Angeles are historic. The Eaton Fire in Altadena is the fifth deadliest wildfire in California history since record-keeping began in 1933,