Xcel Energy (NASDAQ:XEL) said its equipment appears to have been involved in the ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire in the Texas Panhandle. The company, however, disputes allegations of negligence in the maintenance and operation of its infrastructure.
The wildfires have ravaged parts of Texas, destroying property and resulting in the loss of livestock. The wildfires that started in the Texas Panhandle last month have destroyed over 1 million acres of land and have been connected to two fatalities.
"Based on currently available information, Xcel Energy acknowledges that its facilities appear to have been involved in an ignition of the Smokehouse Creek fire," said the company.
Xcel Energy is currently cooperating with ongoing investigations into the wildfires and conducting its own internal review.
The company said it does not believe its equipment caused the Windy Deuce fire, which also affected the region, particularly around Fritch, Texas.