Cause Of Smokehouse Creek Fire

The devastation of the Smokehouse Creek Fire in the Texas Panhandle has reached epic levels. Well over 1,000,000 acres burned, countless structures lost, and as of right now, two lives lost to the fire.

It is the biggest wildfire in Texas history and people have been looking for and asking for answers as to what caused it to spark in the first place.

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Well, it looks like we may have some answers, and it appears to involve one of the biggest companies in Texas.

Xcel Energy has admitted that they shoulder some of the blame for starting the Smokehouse Creek Fire, this after the Texas A&M Forest Service concluded that the wildfire was started by power lines.

They also concluded that the Windy Deuce Fire was also sparked by power lines.

Once the conclusion was made, Xcel did admit that their equipment did indeed play a role in starting the Smokehouse Creek Fire, but added they don't believe they were responsible for the Windy Deuce Fire.

In a statement released by Xcel, they stated, “Based on currently available information, Xcel Energy acknowledges that its equipment appear to have been involved in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire.”

On Friday, a lawsuit was filed in Hemphill County on behalf of a home owner in Stinnett alleging that it was a downed power line that started the blaze on February 26th. The lawsuit was filed against Xcel Energy as well as two other power companies.

In the lawsuit, the plaintiff stated the fire sparked, “when a wooden pole defendants failed to properly inspect, maintain and replace, splintered and snapped off at its base.”

Google Answers the Top 10 Questions About Amarillo

I love Google. It can literally answer ANYTHING you need it to answer. Whether it's right or wrong is a totally different question.

Recently, I found myself wondering about something and went to Google. And that's when I started noticing the "people also asked..." section and BOY...Some of them made perfect sense, some of them were interesting, and one of them was downright baffling...and it was a top 10 question which is even more absurd.

So let's see what we've got. Here's the top 10 questions as asked to Google about Amarillo.

Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark

Say You're From Amarillo Without Saying You're From Amarillo

Amarillo is a pretty quirky place. We've got the Big Texan, the weird signs, and (obviously) the famed Cadillac Ranch. But more than that, there's a distinct culture of close-knit community, eccentrics, a thriving arts scene, and much more.

The point is, living in Amarillo is a unique experience. Because of that, it's really pretty easy to tell who's a native or a long-time resident. And I can prove it.

Here's a couple of ways you can say you're from Amarillo.....without saying you're from Amarillo.

Gallery Credit: Sarah Clark

Source: An Answer To What Caused Largest Wildfire In Texas History

Filed Under: Texas, amarillo, texas panhandle