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On May 4, the Dimmitt Volunteer Fire Department6-man Pumper Team competed in the PFFMA games, placing third. Five of the six team members had never competed before. Firefighters competing include Jose Salas, Brandon Ontiveros, Lupe Gonzales, Braydon Stephens, Ben Elmore, and Carlos Escamilla
A Texas House committee confirmed reports that a decayed utility pole that broke sparked Texas’ largest wildfire in history.
Additionally, the committee report state other poorly maintained power equipment caused additional fires across the region earlier this year and that a lack of readily available air support, ineffective communication from faulty equipment and coordination among agencies inhibited ground efforts to contain the fire.
The committee made up of three House members, Representatives Ken King, Duston Burrows and Todd Hunter, and two landowners produced a 43-page report that stated the legislature should have more effective monitoring and rule enforcement to improve accountability with utility providers when it comes to inspecting and replacing power poles.
The deadly wildfires disrupted life in the Texas Panhandle after they started in late February. Two people died and more than 1 million acres burned across several counties — Hutchinson, Hemphill, Roberts, Carson, Gray and Wheeler.
More than 85% of the state’s cattle population is in the Panhandle. Many residents lost everything — 138 homes burned, according to the report, and more than 15,000 head of cattle, including pregnant cows, perished.
Hundreds of water wells were also destroyed as the fires raged through the Panhandle.
Xcel Energy, a Minnesota- based company that has provided electricity in that portion of the state, acknowledged its role in the Smokehouse Creek fire and said the company is taking action to mitigate wildfire risk.
Xcel has contracted Osmose Utility Services, a Georgia-based company, to manage its lines in Texas. Both companies have been sued in the aftermath of the fire.
PUBLIC NOTICE