New Bills Aim to Curb Texas Wildfires After Historic Blaze

LUBBOCK, Texas — In the wake of catastrophic wildfires that ravaged the Panhandle last year, Texas lawmakers have introduced a legislative package aimed at reducing future wildfire risks and addressing their impact. This set of proposed bills, filed by a trio of Republicans—state Sen. Kevin Sparks from Midland, state Rep. Ken King of Canadian, and state Rep. Caroline Fairly of Amarillo—seeks to address various areas contributing to wildfire hazards.
The proposed legislation includes increasing oversight of unregulated power lines by two state agencies, allocating more funds for rural volunteer fire departments, and establishing a database of firefighting equipment available during emergencies.
The initiative comes following findings from the House Investigative Committee, which revealed that neglected power lines used for oilfield equipment were responsible for sparking at least two of the fires. One of these fires, the Smokehouse Creek Fire, became the largest in Texas history after a decayed power pole crashed into dry grass. Data from the Texas A&M Forest Service shows power lines have been the root of approximately 60% of fires across the Panhandle since 2006.
House Bill 2453, presented by King, mandates that the Railroad Commission, along with the Public Utility Commission (PUC), notify electric utilities when subpar power lines are discovered at wells or oil and gas facilities. Additionally, these agencies would need to request inspections from either the state fire marshal or local authorities.
“The agencies feel like they need some direction from the Legislature to do their part and stop these ignition sources,” King explained, emphasizing the need for regulatory clarity.
Despite the Railroad Commission and PUC acknowledging jurisdiction limitations regarding oilfield power line inspections, lawmakers like King have been working towards defining roles and responsibilities without introducing new legislative requirements.
While the state made advancements after the 2006 East Amarillo Complex Fire, establishing requirements for oilfield operators to adhere to the National Electrical Code, enforcement has remained lax due to a lack of specified penalties or responsible enforcing agency.
Adrian Shelley, leader of Public Citizen’s Texas division, stressed that HB 2453 represents progress but still leaves gaps. He highlighted the necessity of addressing abandoned or low-production well sites, which can present significant fire hazards due to electrical equipment deterioration.
There are an estimated 6,489 abandoned well sites in Texas, as reported by the Environmental Defense Fund. The wildfire investigative report pinpointed that insufficient oversight of low-producing well sites is a critical issue, and legislators must provide adequate funding to address this.
Additional proposals include House Bill 3091 by Rep. Vikki Goodwin of Austin, which seeks to establish a cleanup fund for injection and abandoned wells.
Local rancher Craig Cowden expressed the urgency for passing HB 2453, noting the potential cost savings for the state by preventing ignition sources on his land. His proactive inspections of local wells aim to preemptively identify regulatory violations.
Texas A&M Forest Service documented response costs exceeding $16 million, with the Texas Department of Transportation incurring at least $540,000.
The legislative package also addresses the strain on rural volunteer fire departments, which were critical in combating last year’s blazes but were hindered by outdated equipment. Senate Bill 868 proposes removing caps on the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance program and allocating at least 10% of funds to departments in high wildfire risk areas.
“Constant wildfire threats that require preparation, coordination, and resources is the most pressing issue for the Panhandle,” Sparks emphasized.
To improve coordination during such emergencies, Senate Bill 767 and its companion House Bill 2063 aim to establish a comprehensive statewide firefighting equipment database. Run by Texas A&M Forest Service with legislative backing, this would include equipment details, fire department contacts, and searchable criteria according to equipment types and locations.
This series of legislative efforts represents a substantial commitment by Texas legislators to mitigate wildfire impacts and bolster emergency response systems across the state.