Tire fire

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A tire fire is a slow-burning fire that occasionally occurs at dumps where tires are being stored. They are noted for being difficult to extinguish, and therefore can burn for long periods. Such fires produce a lot of smoke, which often carries toxic chemicals from the breakdown of rubber compounds while burning. A single tire contains about two U.S. gallons (7.5 liters) worth of oil.

Some notable tire fires include:

• 1983 – Seven million tires burn in Winchester, Virginia for nine months, polluting nearby areas with lead and arsenic. The location was cleaned up as a Superfund project from 1983 to 2002.^[1]
• 1990 – In Hagersville, Ontario, a fire is started in a 12- to 14-million-tire pile. It burns for 17 days and forces 4,000 people to evacuate.^[2]
• 1999 – Lightning strikes a tire dump in Westley, California, which burns for 30 days. Pyrolitic oil flows into a nearby stream and also ignites.

The animated television series The Simpsons has lampooned the longevity of tire fires with at least two references. The "Springfield Tire Fire" has been burning since 1966 or 1989, depending on which episode of the series is referenced.^[3]

[edit] External link

• U.S. Environmental Protection Agency: Tire Fires

[edit] References

1. ^ Rhinehart Tire Fire Dump. Superfund Information Systems. Environmental Protection Agency. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
2. ^ That Burning Sensation—Tire Fires. Saskatchewan Waste Reduction Council. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.
3. ^ A City Profile: Springfield NT. The Simpsons Archive. Retrieved on 2006-03-20.