DOUGLAS COUNTY LANDFILL FIRE

Douglas Co. Fire Dist. No.2

At 4:16 p.m. late Sunday Afternoon, Central Douglas Fire & Rescue was dispatched to the 

Douglas County Landfill for reports of a fire in the trash at the top of the landfill. Several 

reports were called into the dispatch center about heavy smoke in the area above the disposal 

and recycling center.

Initial units arrived on the scene to find a working landfill fire. Access to the seat of the fire 

was difficult due to the area that was burning. The burn was in the center of the landfill and 

crews had to fight the fire from a distance to stay out of the garbage while avoiding the toxic 

smoke being produced by the fire. CDF&R fire crews worked with landfill employees to 

contain the fire and prevent the fire from extending to other areas of the landfill. At one point 

the fire had extended to some nearby grass which was quickly extinguished by on-scene crews 

preventing the fire from growing out of hand. After ensuring that the fire was well contained,

and no more risk of spread was a concern fire units turned the scene over to landfill employees 

to bury with their excavation equipment. 

CDF&R responded to this incident with eight pieces of fire equipment and one command unit, 

totaling 17 paid and volunteer personnel. The fire was difficult for crews due to the high heat 

and toxic smoke. Crews at the scene were assisted by Douglas County Solid Waste personnel, 

DFPA, and PP&L.

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