An Answer To What Caused Largest Wildfire In Texas History
The devastation of the Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Texas Panhandle has reached epic levels. Well over 1,000,000 acres burned, countless structures lost, and as of right now, two lives lost to the fire.
It is the biggest wildfire in Texas history and people have been looking for and asking for answers as to what caused it to spark in the first place.
Well, it looks like we may have some answers, and it appears to involve one of the biggest companies in Texas.
Xcel Energy has admitted that they shoulder some of the blame for starting the Smokehouse Creek Fire, this after the Texas A&M Forest Service concluded that the wildfire was started by power lines.
They also concluded that the Windy Deuce Fire was also sparked by power lines.
Once the conclusion was made, Xcel did admit that their equipment did indeed play a role in starting the Smokehouse Creek Fire, but added they don't believe they were responsible for the Windy Deuce Fire.
In a statement released by Xcel, they stated, “Based on currently available information, Xcel Energy acknowledges that its equipment appear to have been involved in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire.”
On Friday, a lawsuit was filed in Hemphill County on behalf of a home owner in Stinnett alleging that it was a downed power line that started the blaze on February 26th. The lawsuit was filed against Xcel Energy as well as two other power companies.
In the lawsuit, the plaintiff stated the fire sparked, “when a wooden pole defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain and replace, splintered and snapped off at its base.”
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