AUSTIN, Texas — Texas is still reeling from the $123 million loss from the Panhandle wildfires earlier this year. Tuesday morning, a committee of lawmakers heard from state agencies about the multiple problem points surrounding the fires and ways to address them.

Panhandle-area Rep. Ken King sat in on a House State Affairs hearing where lawmakers were tasked with going over the recommendations from the Investigative Committee on the Panhandle Wildfires.

“We don’t have a wind problem in the Panhandle. We have an aging infrastructure problem,” said King.

The primary cause of the fires was old oil wells with active electrical currents coming into contact with aging power lines knocked down by the wind.

“Who knows who strung that wire, and it might’ve been there 60 years,” said Rep. Jay Dean, the Republican representative from Texas House District 7.

An official with the Railroad Commission explained that they inspect oil and gas locations across the state, but if power lines go through private land, they have no authority to access it, meaning there is no formal inspection process, often for miles in rural areas.

“That’s why you need landowners, operators and others to be your eyes out in the field,” said Dallas-area Democratic Rep. Rafael Anchiá.

The Railroad Commission claims that since the fires, landowners have increased the number of reports for possible fire starters. 

“Depending on which category its placed into, whether it’s an immediate risk, a significant risk or a normal enforcement violation, it’ll decide whether it goes through the PUC, the state fire Marshall or our normal enforcement process,” said an Assistant Executive Director of the Railroad Commission of Texas Randall Collins.

Even with an increase in reports, the threat of wildfires is still present without updated infrastructure. That’s why state officials say there’s a need for streamlined communication between agencies responding to fires at the local, state and federal levels.

“The state of Texas does not own a single fixed wing firefighting aircraft,” said Nim Kidd, chief of the Texas Division of Emergency Management.

It’s a problem that’s even garnered the attention of President Joe Biden, who got a briefing on this year’s wildfire season.

“Nationwide, nearly 37,730 wildfires burning over 7.3 million acres, which is more land than even some states occupy,” said Biden. 

The Texas Division of Emergency Management also testified that more money is needed to support EMS and firefighting units in the Panhandle region to decrease response time on the ground.

EDITOR'S NOTE: The TDEM testified that more money is needed to decrease response time on the ground, not increase it. (Sept. 18, 2024)