Verizon says it  drastically lowered the data speeds  of a fire department coordinating the response to California's Mendocino Complex Fire.

The company says it was a mistake in communication that led to the throttling.

In a statement, Verizon clarified it typically lifts data caps in emergency situations.  Santa Clara County Central Fire Protection District Chief Anthony Bowden accused the company of capping its data speeds as  part of a lawsuit  that aims to preserve net neutrality rules.

In the suit , Bowden alleges Verizon reduced speeds to 1/200th the normal rate, hamstringing his department's efforts against the largest fire in state history.

Emails included in court documents show when department officials asked Verizon for a solution, its customer support representative suggested they buy a more expensive plan.  Verizon maintains the throttling had nothing to do with net neutrality and was an error.  A department official  told Ars Technica in response  that it had "everything to do with net neutrality."