Power Outage in Panhandle, TX

Windmill Fire. Was caused by powerlines and high winds. Total acreage burned was 486.

The 6666 Complex Fire was caused by downed power lines and burned 363 acres through March 28th. Organizations that gave or received Mutual Aid: Borger Fire Dept, Burnett (6666) Ranch, Crutch Ranch VFD, Fritch VFD, Hoover Volunteer Fire Dept., local county resources, National Park Service, Skellytown Volunteer Fire Dept, and the White Deer Volunteer Fire Department.

A combination sleet and freezing rain led to light ice accumulations which caused hazardous driving conditions the morning of Monday, October 26th. More significant freezing rain fell for several hours on the evening of the 27th resulting in additonal ice accumulations of 0.25 to 0.5 inches across the majority of the county. The higher amounts around half an inch were across the eastern third of the county. These ice amounts created numerous power outages across the county. New snow fall of 2 to 3 inches on the evening of the 28th combined with windy conditions led to continnued impacts ttrough Wedensday night.

Strong winds caused downed power lines in Groom, which resulted in a grass fire. The fire was put out and the scene was cleared by 15:13.

Five to six power lines were snapped and laid across the road.

Thunderstorm winds caused a portion of the roof of a home to be blown off in Panhandle. Power lines were downed and two large trees were uprooted in the Panhandle area. Trees were blocking the road near 3rd and Elsie.

The Carson County Sheriff's Office reported that the tornado touched down around 1736 CST near County Road 14 between Texas State Highway 207 and County Road M...about two miles north northwest of Panhandle. Six power poles were snapped and facing south. The base of the tornado was approximately seventy-five feet wide and the tornado lasted only about thirty seconds before lifting. Sparks were visible...which accounted for the power poles being snapped. The tornado may have touched down for a second time around 1739 CST. The movement of the tornado was likely to the southeast. Strong outflow winds to the north of the tornado circulation likely caused damage to an irrigation pivot four miles north of Panhandle.

The tornado was reported by the Carson County Sheriff's Office at 1730 CST about seven miles southeast of McBride. The tornado crossed Texas State Highway 207 as it moved generally east or southeast north of Panhandle. At least eleven power poles were snapped and were facing east. The Carson County Sheriff's Office stopped all northbound traffic on Highway 207. The tornado lifted approximately 1731 CST about seven miles north of Panhandle. No injuries were reported.

The tornado was reported by the Carson County Sheriff's Office at 1730 CST about seven miles southeast of McBride. The tornado crossed Texas State Highway 207 as it moved generally east or southeast north of Panhandle. At least eleven power poles were snapped and were facing east. The Carson County Sheriff's Office stopped all northbound traffic on Highway 207. The tornado lifted approximately 1731 CST about seven miles north of Panhandle. No injuries were reported.

This tornado formed nine miles east northeast of Claude at 2035 CST and entered Carson county at 2037 CST one and a half miles southwest of Groom. The tornado tracked north and traveled about another ten miles before dissipating at 2110 CST ten miles east of Panhandle. In Carson county...the tornado plowed through a storage area for tractors and other farm equipment. Tractors...turbines...vehicles...cotton presser box cars similar to railroad cars were moved and thrown about in the tornado for considerable distances. Power poles were also damaged. No injuries were reported.

High winds snapped power lines and knocked over a semi-trailer truck. Also...a roof was reportedly blown off of a farm house about five miles southwest of Panhandle. No injuries were reported.

Power lines were reportedly blown down.

The tornado destroyed an office building associated with a grain elevator...unroofed and severely damaged a nearby home...and tossed a pickup truck and suburban about fifty and one hundred yards respectively. Several cattle and one horse were reported killed or injured from the tornado. As many as fifty power poles and transmission lines were brought down from the storm. The tornado path and width were estimated and an official damage survey was made on the tornado.

The Yandy wildfire began around 1302CST about four miles west southwest of Skellytown Texas in Carson county. The wildfire started in a remote area which proved difficult for firefighting crews to arrive at. The wildfire consumed a measured two thousand and nine hundred and sixty acres. There were no reports of any homes or other structures damaged or lost due to the wildfire, however there were two homes and three to five other structures that were threatened by the wildfire but were saved. There were no reports of any injuries or fatalities. The Crutch Ranch VFD, the Hoover VFD, the Pampa FD, the Panhandle FD, the White Deer VFD, and the Texas A&M Forest Service responded to the wildfire and assisted the Skellytown VFD with Mutual Aid. The cause of the wildfire was determined to be from downed power lines and the wildfire was under control around 2106CST June 10.

The Arrington Ranch 2 Wildfire began around 1505CST about eight miles south southeast of White Deer Texas in Carson County. The wildfire was caused by downed power lines and consumed approximately three hundred and fifty acres. There were no reports of any homes or other structures threatened, damaged or destroyed by the wildfire. There were also no reports of any injuries or fatalities. There were a total of five fire departments and other fire agencies that responded to the wildfire which was contained around 2000CST.

The Dumas Complex Wildfire was comprised of several merged wildfires including the Reclamation wildfire, the Willow Vista wildfire, the Bluebonnet wildfire, the East wildfire, and the Folsom wildfire. The Dumas Complex wildfire began around 1443CST about seven miles north of Claude Texas in Carson County. The wildfire reportedly consumed twenty-eight thousand and eight hundred acres. There were about one hundred and fifty homes and other structures which were threatened by the wildfire and an evacuation was declared. There were no homes or other structures damaged or destroyed by the wildfire and, although no fatalities were reported, there was a local television station report that at least three firefighters were injured by the wildfire. The East wildfire began at 1501CST northwest of the Pantex Plant and north of the Amarillo Rick Husband International Airport just east of the Fritch Highway (State Road 136 and Farm to Market Road 293). There were about ten fire departments and other agencies that responded to the wildfire including the Texas A&M Forest Service. The wildfire was caused by downed power lines and was contained around 0000CST on March 7.

The Bar P Wildfire began about six miles west southwest of White Deer Texas in Carson county around 1423CST. The wildfire started just north of County Road 15 east of County Road T. The wildfire consumed approximately two thousand acres and the wildfire was caused by downed power lines. There were no homes or other structures threatened or destroyed by the wildfire and there were also no reports of injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was contained around 1830CST. There were a total of four fire departments and other fire agencies that responded to the wildfire including the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The Skelly 1059 wildfire began around 0652CST about two miles northwest of Skellytown Texas in Carson county. The wildfire started just north of State Highway 152 and just west of Farm to Market Road 1059. The wildfire consumed approximately three hundred acres and was caused by downed power lines. There were no homes or other structures that were threatened by the wildfire and none were damaged or destroyed. There were also no reports of any injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was contained around 0900CST and there were a total of eight fire departments or other fire agencies that responded to the wildfire.

The Carson 1059 wildfire began around 1235CST about two miles northwest of Skellytown Texas in Carson county. The wildfire started near the intersection of State Highway 152 and Farm to Market Road 1059. The wildfire consumed four thousand eight hundred and fifty-six acres and was caused by downed power lines. There were no homes or other structures that were threatened and none were damaged or lost. There were also no reports of any injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was contained around 2000CST and there were a total of twenty fire departments or other fire agencies that responded to the wildfire including the Texas A&M Forest Service.

The Grass Fire 2016-5 wildfire began around 1615CST about four miles north northwest of Kingsmill in Carson county. There were no reports of homes or other structures damaged or destroyed and there were also no reports of injuries or fatalities. The wildfire consumed an estimated four hundred and thirty acres and was caused by downed power lines. The wildfire was contained around 2100CST and a total of five fire departments and other fire agencies responded to the wildfire.

The Blue Northern wildfire began around 2243CST about nine miles west southwest of Skellytown Texas in Carson County. The wildfire consumed two thousand eight hundred and sixteen acres and was caused by downed power lines. There were no homes or other structures reported to be threatened or damaged and there were no reports of injuries or fatalities. The wildfire was contained by 0330CST or so on November 21 and twelve fire departments, including the Texas Forest Service, along with other fire agencies, responded to the wildfire.

The combination of an upper level short wave, high pwat values, and slow storm motions lead to severe weather and flash flooding across the Oklahoma and Texas Panhandles from the late night hours of the 18th through the late morning hours of the 19th. ||Scattered thunderstorms developed along a stationary boundary in southeastern Colorado during the late night hours of the 18th. These thunderstorms moved to the east-southeast off of the boundary and entered the western Oklahoma and northwestern Texas Panhandle around 9 PM CST. Thunderstorms slowly intensified as they moved into the more unstable portions of the Panhandles and began producing isolated downbursts after 11 PM CST. These thunderstorms blew power poles down which caused power outages for several communities across Lipscomb County. Scattered thunderstorms continued moving to the east-southeast 2 AM CST on the 19th. After this point a series of training thunderstorm developed from the central Oklahoma Panhandle into the south central Texas Panhandle. These thunderstorms produced isolated downburst and hail along this line until 8 AM CST. Lightning from these thunderstorms caused a brief power outage for 3,056 Xcel Energy customers on the southeast side of Amarillo (Randall County).