EPA Research Partner Support Story: Underground Fire at Abandoned Dumping Site
Partners: Arkansas Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ), Arkansas Department of Health (ADH)
Challenge: Underground fire at abandoned dumping site sparks public health risks
Resource: Technical assistance and environmental monitoring
Project Period: 2018 – 2019
In July 2018, residents of Bella Vista, Arkansas noticed a dull haze and the smell of smoke wafting through their community and seeping into nearby homes and businesses. The source of their concern turned out to be a smoldering underground fire at a former illegal dumping site. Two former owners of the property had turned it into a kind of unofficial (and unmonitored) dump, allowing nearby residents to dispose of brush, wood, and other organic material. Unfortunately, according to numerous news reports it is now clear that old car batteries, wiring, and old pool liners were also discarded. Subsequently buried - the whole mess was out of sight, out of mind. That was until smoke started rising from the ground.
"The ability to access EPA’s Office of Research and Development (ORD) resources and expertise is critical for state response efforts. Arkansas appreciates continuing work with EPA to close the gaps on environmental challenges and to address community concerns." – Arkansas Director of Energy and Environment Secretary Becky Keogh
Locally known as “the stump dump fire” the conflagration has continued to smolder for more than half a year, sparking health concerns and attracting the attention of ADEQ and ADH, as well as elected officials including a congressman and both Arkansas senators. Together, they called on EPA for help.
To date, EPA has provided resources to the state for air monitoring, legal advice, and engineering tactics to assist the state in controlling the fire. Arkansas’s congressional delegation along with the local and state officials acknowledge and appreciate this assistance as well as the technical assistance provided by the EPA Region 6 (South Central) Office in Dallas, Texas,” noted Arkansas Congress Member Steve Womack and Arkansas Senators Tom Cotton and John Boozman in a letter to the EPA Administrator asking for additional assistance.
That assistance included significant technical and scientific support from EPA ORD, part of an ongoing partnership to match ORD expertise and resources with high priority needs in the states. ORD engineers have visited the burning stump dump site to assess conditions and gather information and contributed to an assessment of ongoing management approaches and mitigation options. ORD also provided comments on the ADEQ Draft Response Action Plan and has also been assisting ADEQ with responding to questions the State has received from the plan.
EPA researchers will continue to work closely with the State as officials to continue to monitor air quality and other conditions and provide expert advice as they decide on the best course for minimizing additional risks and move forward with plans to extinguish the fire and revitalize the site.