Avoid smoke from burning mulch fire, officials urge

By JOHN MUNFORD
jmunford@TheCitizenNews.com

A smoldering pile of debris at a mulching facility in Fayetteville cannot be extinguished by firefighters, prompting concern for citizens in the area who suffer from respiratory problems.

Emergency officials recommend anyone suffering from respiratory illness or difficulty to stay indoors and keep windows and doors shut. Anyone especially sensitive to the smoke should temporarily evacuate to another area not affected by the smoke, and 911 should be called for any respiratory emergency, officials said.

Fayetteville firefighters have indicated they will closely monitor the area because they cannot put the fire out. They have, however, made sure the fire was contained and organic debris around the mulch pile was moved away so the fire couldn’t get worse.

As a result of the fire, D&S Environmental has been shut down by the state Environmental Protection Division, which regulates these types of facilities. The agency has ordered owner Dan Stinchcomb to cease receipt of all materials to be “processed, stored or otherwise held at the facility.”

The EPD also has ordered D&S to immediately take whatever actions are necessary to eliminate the smoke from the burning material, including excavation of the burning material so it may be extinguished or covering the burning area with sufficient clean soil to inhibit burning and eliminate smoke leaving the facility.

The flames in the mulch pile cannot be totally extinguished due to the remote location of the pile, unstable ground conditions and the depth of the smoldering debris, city fire officials said.

The fire was ignited Tuesday by the buildup of heat that occurs naturally during the decomposition process, said Sgt. Bill Rieck of the Fayetteville Fire Department.

The facility is located on First Manassas Mile and smoke from the fire has been reported as thick at times in nearby neighborhoods.