Xcel Energy says its facilities may have started largest Texas wildfire in state history
Xcel Energy facilities "appear to have been involved in an ignition" of the Smokehouse Creek fire that blazed across the Texas Panhandle last month, the company said in a statement Thursday.
Xcel Energy facilities “appear to have been involved in an ignition” of a giant wildfire that’s been blazing across the Texas Panhandle since last month, the company said in a statement Thursday.
The utility did not provide additional details on how it came to the determination, but said it was based on “currently available information.”
“Xcel Energy disputes claims that it acted negligently in maintaining and operating its infrastructure; however, we encourage people who had property destroyed by or livestock lost in the Smokehouse Creek fire to submit a claim to Xcel Energy through our claims process,” the statement said.
The Texas A&M Forest Service said Thursday investigators determined the Smokehouse Creek Fire — the biggest in state history, burning well over 1 million acres — and the Windy Deuce Fire were caused by downed power lines that ignited the flames.
The forest service did not say whether the power lines that ignited the fires belonged to Xcel Energy.
Rating: 5