Texas wildfire linked to power company, claims lives of thousands of cattle

Power lines have been identified as the cause behind the devastating wildfires in the Texas Panhandle, including the largest in state history, according to the Texas A&M Forest Service. The historic Smokehouse Creek fire, along with the Windy Deuce fire, have collectively scorched nearly 1,925 square miles, impacting areas from Texas to Oklahoma.

The Smokehouse Creek fire was notably linked to equipment from Xcel Energy, a utility provider, though the company has disputed claims regarding the Windy Deuce fire, noting the presence of multiple operators’ power lines in the area.

According to State Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, the fire has already resulted in the death of more than 7,000 cattle, a number that is expected to climb beyond 10,000. Texas, home to over 11 million cattle, may not see a national impact on the beef market, but the local consequences are described as devastating.

The blazes, fueled by strong winds reaching 60 miles per hour and dry conditions, prompted evacuations, destroyed up to 500 structures, and led to the death of thousands of cattle since igniting on Feb. 26. Amid these losses, a lawsuit has been filed in Hemphill County against Xcel Energy, alleging negligence in maintaining power infrastructure contributed to the outbreak of the Smokehouse Creek fire.

The plaintiff’s attorney, Mikal Watts, criticized the utility for overlooking a degraded utility pole marked for immediate replacement.

The recent wildfires have claimed two lives and exerted a profound impact on communities, particularly Fritch, which had previously suffered from fire damage in 2014. In response, Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered flags in Fritch to be flown at half-staff to honor Fritch Fire Chief Zeb Smith, who died after battling the wildfires for over a week.