While the number of lawsuits filed over the more than 1-million acre wildfire in the Texas Panhandle still burns out of control, a new study blames it on a power line pole decayed at the base.
The study by the Texas A&M forest service pinpointed the start of the fire Feb. 26 near the small town of Stinnett. The report said a power pole appeared to be decayed at the base where it made contact with the ground “had broken off at ground level.”
Its conclusion comes after the utility provider, Xcel Energy, issued a statement acknowledging that “its facilities appear to have been involved in the ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fires”, reported The Guardian.
In Oklahoma, there was an elevated fire danger on Monday with the highest possibility in the Panhandle, northwestern and far western counties. Southerly winds, above-normal temperatures, dry conditions and increased wind speeds will push it to high to very-high fire dangers.
The Oklahoma Forestry Division anticipates the highest fire danger will grow into Thursday ahead of another cold front.
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