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Shown is an Xcel powerline burning near the top of the pole, which Littlefield Fire Chief Jaime Grey stated may have been the possible reason for the grass fire that broke out Wednesday afternoon and into the eveining. (Photo courtesy of Jaime Grey)
On Wednesday, February 7, 2024 at 5:59pm, Lamb County firefighters and the Littlefield Police Department along with the Lamb County Sheriffs Department were alerted to a grass fire approximately 3 miles south of Littlefield near the Southwestern Public Service substation. Upon arrival at the scene, the Fire Department discovered a utility pole on fire at the top of the pole which dropped wind driven embers into the dry grass below. The cause of the fire was determined to be a possible lightening strike.
Volunteer Firefighters from Amherst, Sudan, and Levelland as well as personnel from the Lamb County Sheriff’s Department, the Littlefield Police Department, and TxDoT, and two maintainers provided by Lamb County responded to the wind driven fire. Thirteen fire trucks and other fire fighting vehicles were dispatched to fight the blaze. Twenty- eight firefighters responded and fought the fire which was finally called “all-clear” three grueling hours later at 8:52 pm. No injuries were reported.
The fire burned 488 acres. No homes or other structures were reported damaged. The smoke from the fire crept into Littlefield like an ominous fog.
Littlefield Fire Chief, Jamie Grey urges Lamb County residents to be alert to the high risk of wildfires due to the extremely dry conditions and the amount of dry vegetation in the area, as well as the windy conditions in our neck of the South Plains.
Data from the Texas A&M Forest Service show that in 2023, Texas firefighters responded to 6,534 wildfires.