Thomas Fire caused by winds that slapped power lines, according to a report

Ventura County investigators determined that the devastating Thomas Fire fire was caused by high winds that put Edison power lines in southern California in contact with each other.

When the lines touched, it created an electric arc.

"The electric arc has deposited hot materials, burning or melting on the ground, in a receptive fuel bed, causing a fire," according to the Ventura County Fire Department. "The common term for this situation is called" line slap "and the power line in question belongs to Southern California Edison."

The fire began on December 4, 2017 and lasted nearly 40 days in Ventura and Santa Barbara counties, charring over 281,000 acres, destroying 1,063 buildings and causing the death of a civilian and from a firefighter.

The full findings of the Department on Fire can be found here.