Xcel Energy 'acknowledges' role in sparking largest wildfire in Texas history
A utility company on Thursday acknowledged its role in sparking the largest wildfire in Texas history, which has burned for almost two weeks, claiming two lives, destroying hundreds of buildings and killing thousands of cattle.
“Based on currently available information, Xcel Energy acknowledges that its facilities appear to have been involved in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire,” the Minnesota-based company said in a statement. "Xcel Energy disputes claims that it acted negligently in maintaining and operating its infrastructure."
On Feb. 26 a cluster of wildfires broke out in the Texas panhandle and quickly spread over several rural counties and into neighboring Oklahoma, fueled by unseasonably dry conditions and strong winds. The largest of the blazes, the Smokehouse Creek fire, ripped through over 1 million acres of land, more than five times the size of New York City.
Last week, a homeowner in Stinnett, a city where many houses have been destroyed, filed a lawsuit against Xcel Energy Services and two other utilities, alleging the record-setting fire started "when a wooden pole defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain and replace, splintered and snapped off at its base."
Erin O’Connor, a spokesperson for the Texas A&M Forest Service, said Thursday that power lines ignited the Smokehouse Creek fire and the nearby Windy Deuce fire. Xcel Energy said it's facilities did not contribute to the Windy Deuce fire, which has burned over 144,00 acres.
"Our thoughts continue to be with the families and communities impacted by the wildfires in the Texas Panhandle," Xcel said in a statement. "We are also grateful for the courageous first responders that have worked to fight the fires and help save lives and property."
The company, which delivers electric and natural gas to more than 3.7 million customers in parts of eight states, encouraged those who lost property or cattle in the Smokehouse Creek fire to file a claim.
On Feb. 28, two days after the blazes started, a law firm sent a letter to Xcel notifying the company “of potential exposure for damages” and requesting that a fallen utility pole near "the fire’s potential area of origin be preserved," according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
Contributing: Associated Press