Reuters: Stupid Feds sparked fire says Texas official

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A county official in the Texas Panhandle is now blaming a federal agency for starting one of the fires through carelessness.

Tom Edwards, the county attorney in rural Motley County east of Lubbock, said on Friday that the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms and Explosives was responsible on Tuesday for sparking a fire that consumed 150 acres.

"You can quote me on it: That bunch has a real corner on stupid," Edwards told Reuters.

Tom Crowley, a spokesman with the federal agency, said bureau officials were assisting four local bomb squads -- at their request -- to destroy some explosives. Firefighters were on hand, he said. The wind picked up, but the explosives were too dangerous to move, so the officials went ahead and destroyed the explosives.

"Unfortunately, a fragment ignited some grass," Crowley said. "As far as the community, we're working with them to let them know how to go about making a claim with the government."
http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/05/ ... 6T20110513

First we have Obama denying relief aid over existing wildfires, and now we have the ATF actually causing a fire that consumes 150 acres.

Looks like Obama is now the first President to politicize disaster relief.

No, it's the severe drought, and the fact that the Panhandle is a very windy area.

I can never take county officials seriously.

Why?

Especially if it's a more rural area, local officials tend to know every corner, road, and school of their district,
and can often greet many or most of the people they represent by name.

How many Federal officials can say the same?

~attempting to play devil's advocate~

In this case, it's his lack of expertise. I'd be sure to ask him who makes the best apple pie in town. But when it comes to handling explosives, I'd rather hear from somebody that knows what they're talking about.

Ya I heard this on my mobile internet news today. Crazy!! What were they thinking setting off bombs in an area that has a fire ban because of drought and high winds?! !?? Thats that above the law thinking, ya know. For that, they need to provide assiatnce for all the other victims of other fires in texas.