Tire fire

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A tire fire is a slow-burning fire that occasionally occurs at dumps where tires are being stored. It is a specific form of landfill fire. 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 the equivalent of two U.S. gallons (7.5 liters) of oil.

Tires are not prone to self-ignition. The tire must be heated to at least 400°C for at least dozens of minutes. Therefore, tire fires are normally the result of arson or improper manipulation with open fire.

Extinguishing tire fires is difficult. The fire releases a dark, thick smoke that contains carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide and products of butadiene and styrene. A specific danger is posed by dripping hot fluids (which may cause burns) and valves shooting from the fire under pressure.^[1] Burning tires are heated and as they have a low thermal conductivity, they are difficult to cool down. Moreover, they frequently burn inside even if they are extinguished from outside, and easily reignite when hot. One possibility is to cover the fire by soil, reducing the supply of oxygen and exhaust of smoke. After extinguishing and cooling down (which may last several days), the site must be surveyed and toxic chemicals neutralized.^[2]

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.^[3]
1989 – In Heyope (near Knighton, Powys, Wales): a fire involving approximately 10 million tires. ^[4]
1990 – In Hagersville, Ontario, a fire started in a 12- to 14-million-tire pile. It burned for 17 days and nearly forced 4,000 people to evacuate.^[5]
1998 – A grass fire ignited the 7 million tires at the unlicensed S.F. Royster Tire Disposal Facility in Tracy, California. It was extinguished, after 26 months, with water and foam in December, 2000.^[6][1]
1999 – Lightning struck a tire dump in Westley, California and burned for 30 days. Pyrolitic oil flowed into a nearby stream and also ignited.

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.^[7]