The greatest wildfire in Texas history was ignited by a power line when a pole that “appeared to be decayed at the base” fell into a grassy area, a Texas A&M Forest Service investigator reported Friday.
The Texas Panhandle Smokehouse Creek Fire began on Feb. 26 near Stinnett and has burned over 1 million acres.
It was one of numerous Panhandle fires that killed two people and destroyed 500 houses due to heavy winds. The state-run Texas A&M Forest Service found a power line caused the Smokehouse Creek Fire.
The investigator reported that a “power pole that appeared to be decayed at the base where it made contact with ground had broken off at ground level,” and the cross member, wires, and pole fell into fine grassy vegetation.
Xcel Energy confirmed Thursday that “its facilities appear to have been involved in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire,” but it denied negligence in infrastructure maintenance. Texas A&M Forest Service inquiry report denies negligence.
A homeowner sued Xcel Energy Services, Southwestern Public Service Company, and Osmose Utility Services last week for “failing to properly inspect, maintain, and replace” the fallen pole.
The Texas A&M Forest Service reported 1,058,482 acres burned and 87% containment in the Smokehouse Creek Fire Friday. A power line ignited the Windy Deuce Fire, another Panhandle blaze, the forest service reported. A forest service report says a power line that “ran directly thru the top of a small tree” hit tree limbs at 6:23 p.m. on Feb. 26 at an oil field.
The Windy Deuce Fire started near electricity wires owned by others, Xcel representative Kevin Coss said. Texas A&M Forest Service investigations describe which firm controls either fire's lines. The forest service reported 92% containment of the 144,045-acre Windy Deuce Fire Friday. It claimed firefighters cleaned up and patrolled the fire area.
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