The Texas House committee ruled that the deadly Panhandle wildfires were caused by “power poles and power lines that were not properly maintained or replaced by electric and natural gas providers.”
The committee, comprised of five members, released its findings in a 48-page
interim report
on Wednesday. The committee includes state representatives Ken King, Dustin Burrows, and Todd Hunter, as well as landowners Jason Abraham and James Henderson.
The committee also found that a lack of readily available resources and effective communication equipment hindered efforts to control the Smokehouse Creek wildfire and other wildfires that devastated the Panhandle earlier this year.
“Despite the heroic efforts of volunteer firefighters to contain the wildfires, the response efforts were hindered by the lack of accurate, readily available, and timely dispatch of aerial support, coupled with ineffective communication and coordination among agencies, local governments, and responders,” the committee wrote.
The Smokehouse Creek wildfire erupted on February 26 in Hutchinson, quickly spreading 95 miles, consuming over one million acres before being contained. The wildfire swept through multiple counties, destroying over 130 homes, barns, and other structures, causing two deaths, and killing more than 15,000 cattle.
In early March, Minnesota-based utility provider Xcel Energy stated in a release that its equipment seemed to be responsible for igniting the Smokehouse Creek wildfire, but denied allegations of negligence.
The Smokehouse Creek wildfire was one of four major wildfires in the region at the end of February. The second-largest was the Windy Deuce fire, which also started on the same day, burning approximately 140,000 acres. According to the Texas Department of Agriculture and Forestry, both fires were 100% contained by March 16.
A three-day hearing was held in Pampa, during which the committee heard testimonies from several witnesses, including representatives from Xcel, volunteer firefighters, as well as state and local officials.
Xcel’s contractor Osmose Utility Service inspected power poles at the end of January, designating them as “priority one for replacement,” but did not attend the hearing.
“In a letter dated April 11, 2024, Osmose expressed ‘sincere regret’ for not attending the hearing but failed to provide a reason for their absence,” the report stated. “The absence of key fact witnesses at a public hearing is truly disappointing.”
Committee members found that the Smokehouse Creek and Reamer Creek wildfires were sparked by collapsed power poles owned by Xcel.
The committee wrote in the report, “The power pole that caused the Smokehouse Creek fire had shown signs of decay.”
Xcel President Adrian Rodriguez testified that Osmose contacted the utility company on February 9, informing them of the need to replace the power poles.
The report stated, “The replacement work had not been completed before the power poles collapsed later that month due to high winds.”
The committee found a significant correlation between strong winds and power system failures, highlighting the necessity for improved resilience planning.
“The legislature recently passed legislation encouraging more resilience planning, but Texas has taken almost no action to regulate the inspection, maintenance, and replacement schedules for the state’s power poles,” the committee wrote. “Utilities can develop their own plans based on budget and other company priorities.”
The committee recommended an upgrade to communication systems statewide, including modernizing existing systems, as it is deemed “essential.”
“Although Texas has made significant investments in its communication systems, as testimonies show, the difficulty in connecting various agencies and departments using different communication technologies at the scene hinders response efforts,” the report stated. “Communications are conducted through various channels and frequencies, and the difficulty leads to incompatible and asynchronous communication islands.”
The committee pointed out that the voluntary fire department (VFD) which Panhandle heavily relies on, “severely lacks funding, making it nearly impossible for them to acquire the equipment and resources needed to safely and effectively extinguish wildfires of this scale.”
According to a law passed in the early 2000s, VFDs can apply for grants, with individual grant and disbursal amounts capped at $30 million.
The committee stated, “The committee recommends the legislature allocate full funding for pending but unfunded $172 million grant application found in House Bill 2604.” “As part of this recommendation, the legislature should consider amending the laws governing the management of rural VFD assistance programs to raise or remove the existing $30 million cap.”
They also suggested a reassessment of grant program criteria and the establishment of new grant programs for smaller VFDs.