New incident reports released by Potter County Fire-Rescue are providing the clearest picture yet of what happened during the Stinky Fire, from the moment firefighters arrived at the Amarillo landfill to the frantic effort to save homes as the flames raced into the Bishop Hills area.
High Plains Pundit obtained the reports through an open records request.
The reports don't answer every question about the fire that destroyed 52 occupied homes and burned more than 2,300 acres. But they do offer a detailed timeline of how the emergency unfolded and document disagreements over equipment, firefighting tactics and communication during the response.
A landfill fire quickly turns dangerous
Assistant Fire Chief Jonathan Stevens wrote that Potter County Fire-Rescue was dispatched to the Amarillo landfill on the afternoon of May 17 after a fire was reported in Cell 10.
When he arrived, Stevens found about five acres of burning trash inside the landfill pit. He immediately requested heavy equipment from the City's Solid Waste Department, knowing firefighters would need dirt—not just water—to bury the burning refuse.
It didn't take long for things to get worse.
By 3:46 p.m., strong winds were pushing the fire beyond the landfill pit. Stevens reported flames jumping roughly 100 yards before spotting another fire even farther away.
The Amarillo Fire Department arrived soon afterward, and the agencies established a unified command.
As the fire spread outside the landfill, Stevens called for every available Potter County Fire-Rescue unit, along with Texas A&M Forest Service aircraft and heavy equipment. A voluntary evacuation of nearby neighborhoods followed.
Firefighters asked for more equipment
One theme appears repeatedly throughout Stevens' report: the need for more heavy equipment.
At 5:29 p.m., Stevens told Amarillo emergency management officials crews were unable to contain what he described as the "deep-seated" fire inside Cell 10. According to his report, only three city equipment operators were working at the landfill.
Stevens later spoke with Assistant City Manager Donnie Hooper, requesting a motor grader to clear windblown trash and heavy vegetation.
According to Stevens, Hooper replied that "city operations were compliant with their permit parameters and stated that I did not understand the permit."
Stevens wrote that his response was simple.
"The immediate operational priority was the preservation of life and the protection of the residential structures."
The report says the conversation ended with the understanding that no additional city operators or earth-moving equipment would be sent.
Different ideas about how to fight the fire
The reports also show there wasn't always agreement about the best way to attack the landfill fire.
Fire crews eventually had to pull apparatus out of the landfill after one Potter County unit was damaged by the rough terrain.
Water alone wasn't doing enough, Stevens wrote. The only effective method was covering the burning trash with dirt.
He also noted that the City of Amarillo, "contrary to fire department command, recommendation," stopped dirt-covering operations because of concerns about long-term mitigation.
Meanwhile, Texas A&M Forest Service crews arrived with equipment but couldn't operate inside the landfill because of agency policy.
Communication problems surface
Stevens also documented communication issues during the response.
According to his report, Amarillo's Office of Emergency Management informed him around 5:39 p.m. that future communications would go through Amarillo Fire Department command instead of directly with Potter County Fire-Rescue.
Stevens wrote that OEM did not resume direct communication with county officials until more than two hours later, when they were discussing releasing Potter County units from the scene.
By Sunday night, firefighters believed they had stopped the fire's forward progress at the landfill fence line. Even so, county leaders weren't convinced the danger had passed.
Chief Richard Lake wrote that after being told the city had hired a private contractor to take over work the next morning, he still decided to call firefighters back to patrol the area because he was concerned about changing weather conditions.
Monday changes everything
The next afternoon, those concerns proved well-founded.
Lake wrote that when he returned to the landfill around 3:35 p.m., he found Amarillo firefighters battling fire along trash piled against the fence.
He also reported being unable to reach the incident commander, leaving him unsure whether outside resources or mutual aid agencies had been requested.
As crews repositioned, Lake watched an ember land outside the landfill and immediately ignite.
He knew where the fire was headed.
Lake quickly requested additional agencies to respond to Bishop Estates while law enforcement began evacuating neighborhoods. He also asked Xcel Energy to shut off power and remove electrical hazards to keep evacuation routes open.
Still, the fire moved faster than emergency crews.
Lake wrote that firefighters and law enforcement "were unable to effectively evacuate everyone."
The reports go on to describe the fast-moving effort to rescue residents and defend homes as the wildfire tore through Bishop Hills.
The final toll
By the time the fire was finally contained, the damage was staggering.
According to Lake's report, the fire destroyed 52 occupied homes, eight vacant homes and 132 outbuildings.
More than 670 homes and outbuildings were successfully protected.
The fire burned 2,323 acres before it was declared 100 percent contained on May 22. It was officially listed as controlled on June 1.
City says investigations are still underway
After the reports became public, the City of Amarillo released a statement saying several investigations remain ongoing.
"The City of Amarillo recognizes the significant impact the landfill fire has had on residents, families, and first responders," the city said.
Officials said reviews include landfill operations, issues identified by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, the Amarillo Fire Department's after-action report and an investigation by the State Fire Marshal's Office.
The city also cautioned against drawing conclusions from individual reports released through open records requests.
"City leadership has been made aware that small portions of the released information are being discussed or quoted without giving the public the full context of the entire event described in the information," the statement said.
