From about 2am on Monday, January 2, Tenterfield Shire Council has been coordinating and working towards extinguishing a fire at the Tenterfield Waste Transfer Station that was reported by night security officer John Kirkman to the council’s program manager Dave Stewart at 1.45am.
The fire had developed in the green waste mulch pile on the northern side of the site.
Mr Stewart requested Mr Kirkman to place a Triple Zero (000) call for the fire and to leave the gates open for emergency services to access the site.
On arrival at the site at 2am Mr Stewart consulted and started an assessment with the NSW Fire Brigade captain John Gray who was already on site.
The assessment revealed that the fire was spreading within the mulch to the west of the ignition point.
About 2.45am a
council backhoe/loader was requested so as to enable access into the heat source and separate mulch.
Further support was requested with local contractor Col Graham arriving about 3.30am to assist in moving the mulch.
Water and foam continued to be applied to the fire, with additional assistance provided by the Rural Fire Service (RFS) as the fire continued to spread through the mulch to the west along the steep embankment on the northern side of the site.
Large logs and trees root bases were removed from within mulch at the suspected point of ignition, which was determined to be spontaneous by the NSW Fire Brigade captain.
Logs removed from within the mulch were almost white ash, which indicated that they had been smouldering for some time within the mulch.
The NSW Fire Brigade handed over control of the fire to the RFS about 5.40am.
As daylight started a further assessment could be made as to the extent of the fire.
Mr Stewart advised the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) of the fire situation and actions taken at 7.14am.
The EPA concurred with the actions taken and requested that the council coordinate and continue to extinguish the fire.
RFS Brigades continued to control the fire, however, the increasing winds and temperature during the mid-morning saw a return of the NSW Fire Brigade to provide assistance with their larger capacity for water.
Additional council equipment was requested in terms of water trucks to supply the RFS and NSW Fire Brigade on site, a grader to push a fire break around the site on the adjacent land and the council excav
ator to be transported in from the Boonoo Boonoo landfill site so as to assist in separating mulch and providing access to the fire as it spread through the mulch and green waste.
The major concern for the council and the fire services was not to allow the fire to ignite the stockpile of tyres.
Mid-afternoon with the fire under control the NSW Fire Brigade handed over control to the RFS.
Within an hour the fire flared again and the RFS continued to suppress the fire with water and foam, which was nearing the tyre stockpile.
Within this time the excavator had arrived and started clearing a fire break around the tyre stockpile.
The fire was under control about 5.30pm and was monitored overnight.
Discussions between the council and the EPA started Tuesday, January 4, with representatives from the EPA inspecting the site on Wednesday, January 5.
A number of immediate actions were discussed and agreed to between the EPA and the council.
Council staff and with local contractor, Col Graham, started spreading the mulch, which had not ignited, with water trucks dousing the mulch prior to being pushed up and moved further to the east. Throughout the week work continued separating and stockpiling burnt green waste.
Work continued over the weekend with clearing and stockpiling on site completed about 7pm on Sunday night.
Inspection of the site Monday morning revealed minor hot spots along the northern embankment face, which will continue to be doused with water by the council until fully extinguished.
Mr Stewart said the seriousness of the fire cannot be underestimated with the amount of green waste mulched in July being some 4700 cubic metres and remaining mulch on site after the fire being about 2300 cubic metres.
The amount of mulch burnt and the added fuel source contained in green waste and timber around the site added to the situation.
The council and the EPA
are to conduct meetings in Tenterfield in the very near future to provide for a way forward with the waste transfer station site.
The council wishes to thank the NSW Fire Brigade, Rural Fire Service, the contractor and council staff for their assistance during the fire incident.
This press release was issued to the Southern Free Times on Tuesday, January 10.
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