The panel of three lawmakers and two residents also will look at disaster preparedness.
LUBBOCK — Texas House Speaker Dade Phelan is creating a legislative committee to investigate the Texas Panhandle wildfires to ensure the state is prepared for future disasters. His Tuesday announcement comes more than two weeks after the deadly infernos first started burning more than 1 million acres in the region. The Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires will have five members, including state Reps. Ken King of Canadian, Dustin Burrows of Lubbock and Todd Hunter of Corpus Christi.
Utility company Xcel Energy said it appeared that its equipment was involved in igniting that blaze, but denied it was negligent in maintaining power lines. Residents and business owners have since filed lawsuits against the company. Hundreds of homes are believed to have been damaged or destroyed in the series of wildfires that have devastated the region. Many homes weren’t insured. Thousands of livestock died and crops throughout the area were destroyed.
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