August 21, 2020 3:30 a.m.

A few low-level cover fires at the Douglas County landfill has prompted the Douglas County Board of Commissioners and the Solid Waste Department to issue a warning about tossing flammable, combustible and hot waste items into trash bins, and refuse containers at county transfer stations.

A release from the Board of Commissioners said landfill fires are most common in the spring and summer months, with the greatest risk peaking in August when temperatures are seasonally at their highest.

Commissioner Tom Kress said most of the landfill fires in the past, could have been prevented with a little help from residents. Kress is asking that people take time to separate and properly dispose of flammable and combustible materials, and make sure hot waste items are cooled and contained before they are placed in a garbage can or disposed of at a transfer station.

The release said landfill fires are especially dangerous, not only with the potential to start a wildfire on neighboring lands, but also because they can cause injury to employees and fire crews and can emit dangerous fumes from the combustion of the materials contained in the landfill.

The latest landfill fire was caused by an improperly discarded automobile battery that exploded and caught fire when it was run over by a trash compactor working in the landfill. Batteries have been identified as a leading cause of several recent landfill fires at other Oregon landfill locations. Fires can also occur when a number of other items are not properly disposed of.

For more information go to www.co.douglas.or.us