The lack of release of the cause of the Thomas Fire appears to be holding up dozens of lawsuits filed against Southern California Edison over the 2017 blaze and Montecito mudslides. According to a motion filed in Los Angeles Superior Court, where the cases are being handled together, attorneys for the Ventura County Fire Protection District are trying to quash subpoenas for information within the district’s “active criminal investigation file.” The district’s attorneys also are trying to stop the deposition of fire officials participating in the “ongoing criminal investigation concerning the Thomas Fire.” The motion signed and dated Feb. 5 by attorneys from the firm Baron & Budd was filed after a Jan. 14 hearing in which fire district attorneys notified the court that the agency had referred its investigation to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office for more investigation and the potential filing of criminal charges.