Days after it started, the fire at the Iowa City Landfill continues to burn. The flames and smoke are less intense than they have been, but city leaders say the fire could continue into next week.
It started Saturday. And while we may never know the exact cause, experts say they believe burning trash is responsible, coming into contact with a layer of shredded tires that became fuel. Those tires act as drainage, and as part of a protective layer that keep waste from leaching into the ground.
The Operations Manager tells us the Scott Area Landfill does not use tire chips that way, so there is less risk for a fire. But at the same time, Brian Seals says, everyone there is cognizant that fire is always a possibility. It's why he says it's important that everyone dumping waste at the landfill follow the rules, and use caution and common sense.
And, he says, why crews there take extra precautions. Seals says he sees it when burn barrels come through. Even if residents say they've watered them down, crews will do so again. "We understand you've probably put water on this. We're gonna have you pull off to the side. We're gonna put water on it again, just to make sure there isn't anything smoldering, it isn't a hot load." He says the attendant at the scales will then communicate to the field ops that a burn barrel is coming. "That way everybody is on the same page," Seals says.
He tells us chemicals can be a concern as well. "A resident has chemicals they put in the trash. That chemical may react with the trash or another chemical that a neighbor put in the trash. So those two react together. It wasn't just one of them that did it. It was both of them together."
It's why he says the landfill has Hazardous Materials and Electronic Waste programs. And why he wants everyone to use them. He says, "We're trying to minimize the potential."
