A “power pole that appeared to be decayed at the base where it made contact with ground had broken off at ground level,” the investigator wrote, and it and the cross member and wires fell and made contact with fine grassy fuels.
Utility company Xcel Energy said Thursday that “its facilities appear to have been involved in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire,” but it disputed any claims that the company acted negligently in maintaining its infrastructure.
The Texas A&M Forest Service investigation report does not allege negligence.
A lawsuit filed by a homeowner last week against Xcel Energy Services, Southwestern Public Service Company and Osmose Utility Services claimed they “failed to properly inspect, maintain, and replace” the pole that fell.
The Smokehouse Creek Fire has burned 1,058,482 acres and was 87% contained Friday, the Texas A&M Forest Service said.
A power line also caused another of the wildfires in the Panhandle, the Windy Deuce Fire, the forest service said.
That fire was reported at 6:23 p.m. on Feb. 26 at an oil field, and was caused when a power line that “ran directly thru the top of a small tree” made contact with tree limbs, a forest service report concludes.
That contact caused a spark or molten metal that fell into grass below, the report said.
A spokesman for Xcel Energy said that company does not believe its equipment was involved in causing that fire, and is not aware of any allegations that its equipment was involved.
There are power lines owned by others in the area where the Windy Deuce Fire began, Xcel spokesperson Kevin Coss said.
The Texas A&M Forest Service investigation reports do mention which company owns the lines in either fire
The Windy Deuce Fire was at 144,045 acres Friday and was 92% contained, the forest service said. Firefighters continued to mop up and patrol the fire area, it said.
