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A Texas House committee confirmed on Wednesday that the state’s largest wildfire in history was sparked by a decayed utility pole that broke, causing power wires to fall onto dry grass in the Texas Panhandle. Additionally, four other fires across the region earlier this year were ignited by poorly maintained power equipment, according to the committee’s findings.
The committee identified various factors that hindered efforts to contain the Smokehouse Creek fire and other wildfires in the Panhandle, including a lack of readily available air support, ineffective communication from faulty equipment, and coordination challenges among agencies.
In response to these findings, the committee, comprised of three House members and two landowners, recommended that the Legislature implement more effective monitoring and rule enforcement to hold oil and gas operators accountable and improve accountability with utility providers regarding the inspection and replacement of power poles.
The 48-page report, largely based on testimony from public hearings held in Pampa, confirmed previous assessments made in the aftermath of the wildfires. The fires, which began in late February, claimed two lives and burned over 1 million acres across several counties in the Panhandle region.
The wildfires caused extensive damage, including the loss of 138 homes and more than 15,000 head of cattle. Hundreds of water wells were destroyed, exacerbating challenges for people and livestock in the region.
Xcel Energy, the company responsible for providing electricity in the affected area, acknowledged its role in the Smokehouse Creek fire and announced measures to mitigate wildfire risk, such as updating systems for extreme weather resilience and adjusting wildfire settings on equipment.
Osmose Utility Services, contracted by Xcel to manage its lines in Texas, did not respond to inquiries. Both companies are facing lawsuits in the aftermath of the fire.
Residents affected by the wildfires, such as Scott McBroom, expressed frustration with the companies’ neglect of power lines and poles, resulting in devastating losses.
Efforts to extinguish the fires highlighted deficiencies in the state’s emergency response in vulnerable areas, with volunteer fire departments facing equipment shortages and delays in air support due to wind speeds and availability.
The committee recommended measures to improve wildfire containment, including establishing a firefighting air fleet for Texas, providing additional funding for volunteer fire departments, and upgrading statewide communication systems.
Investigations into poorly maintained power lines as a cause of wildfires have been ongoing, with power line-related fires being a significant cause of destruction in the region since 2000, according to the report.
The committee, chaired by Rep. Ken King and including Reps. Dustin Burrows and Todd Hunter, along with public members Jason Abraham and James Henderson, emphasized the need for proactive measures to prevent future wildfires and enhance emergency response capabilities.