25 Million Dollar Question: Fire, Floods, and Mudslides -- Separate Occurrences or Linked Events?

The devastation wrought by the 416 Fire, which torched about 54,000 acres of forest north of Durango in 2018, and the damage inflicted by the rains that caused floodwaters and mudslides to flow from the burn scar were two different ‘occurrences,’ says the Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railroad.

Steadfast Insurance disagrees, saying that the mudslide and flooding damage would not have happened but for the fire.

Who is right in this linguistical conundrum? That’s the $25 million question, which is now to be hashed out in federal court.