Xcel Pole Linked to Smokehouse Fire Appeared ‘Decayed’
A firefighter extinguishes hotspots following the Smokehouse Creek Fire in Miami, Texas, on March 2.
Photographer: Jordan Vonderhaar/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
A wooden utility pole owned by Xcel Energy Inc. that toppled during high winds and sparked the worst wildfire in Texas history appeared to be decayed at its base where it broke and fell over, according to a Texas A&M Forest Service investigative report.
The base of the pole also appeared to have “chop marks” on it and had a metal inspection tag attached with the date of 2024, according to the report obtained by Bloomberg News from a public records request. The investigation determined that the pole broke off at ground level, causing power lines attached to it to spark fine grassy fuels on the ground.