Update: Iowa City Landfill Fire Jumps Containment Line

Iowa City officials say has spread across a containment line that was constructed on Saturday evening.

Wind is directing the smoke over more populated areas. Driving north on Highway 218 towards Iowa City, the smoke is visible from south of Riverside, at least 15 miles from the fire.

Officials are recommending people avoiding exposure.

Officials had said they expect the fire to burn for several days. The fire started on the working side of the where garbage had been dumped earlier that day. This fire then spread to the landfill's liner system that covers the garbage, which includes a layer of shredded tires to facilitate drainage.

At around 6:38 p.m. on Saturday evening the fire department was called to assist in containing the fire, rapidly spreading due to high winds. According to the release, as the fire began to spread, landfill staff used a bulldozer to cut a gap in the tire layer so the fire would not continue burning rubber. This successfully contained the fire from further spreading, but approximately three acres of landfill covering is still burning.

Here is the complete text of a news release from the city at 12:48 p.m. Sunday:

The landfill fire has spread across the containment line constructed last night and has spread to most of the remaining lining system, producing additional smoke. The wind has shifted directing the smoke over more populated areas. To repeat the advice from the Johnson County Health Department:

Persons in the path of the smoke plume should avoid exposure to the smoke as much as possible. Persons who have respiratory, heart or other conditions which may be aggravated by smoke, pregnant women, and the young and elderly should shelter in places with outside sources of air shut off. Most home air conditioning units recirculate air from the interior and should be sufficient. Businesses and other structures which draw in outside air should close outside air sources if the smoke plume is present. Avoid outdoor activities such as exercising if the smoke plume is present. Nursing homes, day cares and other businesses which care for the elderly, very young and persons with respiratory diseases should take special care to monitor the health of clients and to minimize exposure to the smoke plume.

The Johnson County Health Department is coordinating with the State Hygienics Lab Air Quality Department to begin air quality monitoring.

More information will be issued as it becomes available.