The Texas House of Representatives Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires blamed a lack of ready air support, faulty equipment, and a failure of agency coordination for hindering response efforts.
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The 48-page report reaffirmed previous findings about the cause of this year’s Smokehouse Creek fire and others that ravaged the Panhandle.
A devastating wildfire — the state’s largest — was the result of a decaying but energized utility pole collapsing onto dry grass, a Texas House panel confirmed on May 2.
The panel also reported that poorly maintained power equipment sparked four additional fires. In all, more than 1 million acres burned across several counties, two people died, and 15,000 head of cattle perished.
Comprised of three Texas House members and two landowners, the Texas House of Representatives Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires blamed a lack of ready air support, faulty equipment, and a failure of agency coordination for hindering response efforts. The committee called upon the Texas Legislature to more effectively monitor oil and gas operators and improve utility accountability as it relates to the inspection and replacement of power poles.
The 48-page report, which can be found here, reaffirmed previous findings about the cause of this year’s Smokehouse Creek fire and others that ravaged the Panhandle. Several Panhandle counties were affected — including Hutchinson, Hemphill, Roberts, Carson, Gray and Wheeler — and nearly 140 homes burned. The destruction of hundreds of wells also eliminated important sources of water for locals and their livestock, according to the report.
UTILITY ACKNOWLEDGES ROLE
Xcel Energy, a Minnesota-based company that delivers electricity in the Panhandle and that previously acknowledged its role in the Smokehouse Creek fire, reaffirmed on May 1 that it has taken actions to mitigate future risk. “We care deeply about the Panhandle communities harmed by wildfires,” the company said in a statement. Xcel and another company that manages its power lines both face lawsuits because of the fires.
According to media reports, volunteer fire departments arrived on the scene first, but showed up with broken radios and other inappropriate equipment because of tight budgets. Excessive wind speeds also contributed to the fires’ rapid spread and hindered air support. As such, the committee report explored such remedial actions as the creation of a Texas firefighting air fleet, additional funding for volunteer fire departments, and upgrades to statewide communications systems.
The committee was chaired by Rep. Ken King, a Canadian Republican. It also included Republican Reps. Dustin Burrows of Lubbock and Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi, and landowners Jason Abraham and James Henderson as public members of the committee.
The report can be found here.