AUSTIN, Texas (AP) — Texas is suing the utility company whose downed power lines sparked the largest wildfire in state history. The deadly Smokehouse Creek fire in 2024 destroyed homes and livestock, and charred miles of landscape, causing more than $1 billion in damage. The lawsuit accuses Xcel Energy of neglecting aging utility poles that needed to be replaced. The company says it has taken responsibility for the downed lines, and has paid more than $350 million in damage claims. And it says it was not negligent and will fight the lawsuit.
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