Power lines ignited massive wildfires across the Texas Panhandle that destroyed homes and killed thousands of livestock, officials said Thursday, including the Largest fire in state history that utility company Xcel Energy said its equipment appeared to spark.
The Texas A&M Forest Service said its investigators concluded the Smokehouse Creek fire was ignited by power lines, as was the nearby Windy Deuce fire.
Power utility Xcel Energy said Thursday that its equipment appeared to have played a role in igniting the Smokehouse Creek fire, but did not believe its equipment was responsible for the Windy Deuce fire.
The Smokehouse Creek fire burned nearly 1,700 square miles (4,400 square kilometers) and destroyed hundreds of structures. The Minnesota-based company said in a statement it disputes claims that it was “negligent” in maintaining and operating infrastructure.
“Based on currently available information, Xcel Energy acknowledges that its equipment appears to have been involved in igniting the Smokehouse Creek Fire,” the company said.
Downed power lines and other utilities have led to other large wildfires, including this one deadly fire last year on Maui And a massive forest fire in California in 2019.
The Smokehouse Creek fire was among a group of fires that broke out in the rural Panhandle last week, triggering evacuation orders in some small communities. The wildfire, which also spread to neighboring Oklahoma, was about 44% contained as of Wednesday.
That’s what the officials said up to 500 structures They may have been destroyed in the fires.
A lawsuit filed Friday in Hemphill County alleged that a power line that failed near the town of Stinnett on Feb. 26 sparked the fire. The lawsuit, filed on behalf of Stinnett homeowner Melanie McQuiddy against Xcel Energy Services Inc. and two other utility companies, alleged the fire started “when a wooden pole that defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain and replace splintered and broke off at its base.”
Dale Smith, who runs a large cattle ranch east of Stinnett, said he estimated he lost 30 to 50 of the 3,000 cattle grazing on his property.
“We are still trying to determine livestock losses,” Smith said. “It probably burned 70-80% of the ranch.”
Smith said much of the pastureland will grow back quickly with the right rain and moisture, but he said they also lost several 100-year-old cottonwood trees that were throughout the ranch. Firefighters were able to save three camps on the ranch, which included barns and other buildings.
Smith said he believes a broken power line started the fire, which spread quickly due to the strong winds.
“These fires are becoming more and more common. Lives are lost. Livestock is lost. Livelihoods are lost. It is a sad story that keeps repeating itself because the public utilities and oil companies responsible for these power lines do not maintain them.”
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Associated Press journalist Sean Murphy contributed to this report from Oklahoma City.