Phoenix area residents dealing with smell from landfill fire smoke
SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - Scottsdale residents have been reporting a certain ‘smell’ in the air, and it's the result of a fire in a landfill that started over the weekend.
"I woke up this morning and I opened up the patio door, and I was like, wow," said Craig Mertens. "It just infiltrated the house."
The fire began on Saturday, and according to officials with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, the fire involved what they described as ‘green waste.’
"When I was stationed in Iraq – it smelled like living next to the burn pits. It was horrible," said Sonya Brekke.
According to the Salt River Landfill's website, green waste includes the following items:
- Leaves
- Tree branches
- Untreated and unpainted lumber
- Grass
- Plant clippings
Scottsdale residents worried over landfill fire
Since Sept. 30, firefighters have been dealing with a fire involving what officials described as 'green waste' at the Salt River Landfill. As officials say it may take days before the fire is extinguished, residents in nearby Scottsdale say the fire is leaving an unusual smell in the air. FOX 10's Marissa Sarbak reports.
On Oct. 4, officials said the fire appears to have started by spontaneous combustion.
While crews were reportedly successful in separating smoldering piles and getting the flames under control, air quality in the area remains a concern.
"I had to really think about walking this morning," said Mertens. "I'm walking tonight. The air is a little bit better. But yeah, it's certainly concerning. I don't really enjoy the smell or breathing this stuff."
At Chaparral Park, people say the air quality was much better than it was when they first woke up. However, there is some concern about what they're breathing in, and for how long.
"I know from experience," said Brekke. "The burn pits next to us in Iraq, a lot of people have sinus issues. A lot of coughing, things like that. So I'm like, ‘oh great, I live next to a burn pit again.’"
Latest on landfill fire in the East Valley
The fire, which is burning on a landfill located in the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community, began over the weekend, and on Oct. 4, officials revealed an apparent cause for a fire that has spewed smoke into the air, which can be smelled by people across portions of the Valley. FOX 10's Brian Webb reports.
Air quality gauges are reportedly not made to monitor smoke from green waste fires.
"They are not primary pollutants," said Pierre Herckes, a chemistry professor at the Arizona State University.
According to Herckes, things are worse in the morning hours because that's when the smoke snuggles to the ground.
"If you have sensitivity to it, it is more dangerous because the concentrations would be a little higher," said Herckes. "But during the day, normally, as the ground warms up and we see more mixing, the concentrations are decreasing."