Tire Fire Poses Multiple Threats

In late October 1983, vandals started a fire on a huge pile of tires being stored for reprocessing. The tire pile, located in Winchester, Virginia, covered about five acres of a ravine and contained between five and seven million tires piled up to 80 feet high. Feeding on the massive number of tires, the volcano-like fire sent up a hazardous smoke plume several thousand feet that extended 50 miles into four states. The smoke plume was not the only concern at the site - the intense heat of the fire caused oil and liquid tar to run from the pile of burning tires off the site into a stream at a rate of 30 to 50 gallons per minute, rapidly contaminating surrounding soil and threatening a nearby creek.

The fire, tar, and oil posed several serious threats to the public and the environment. Tar and oil in the creek could kill fish and other aquatic life, as well as ruin the drinking water supply for livestock in the area. Ash in the smoke plume threatened over 4,000 residents within five miles of the site. The smoke itself was a serious health concern for neighbors with respiratory diseases. Finally, a nearby forest was at risk of igniting if the fire remained unattended. Responders had to act to control the furious blaze and stop the flow of oil and tar.

EPA and the State of Virginia, and the county agencies responded to the blaze. The EPA Environmental Response Team provided technical advice on air quality, cleanup of the site, and treatment of polluted water. EPA directed the flow of oil and tar away from the creek by building walls and channels. The EPA On-Scene Coordinator (OSC) directed the collection and subsequent sale of this oil by EPA. The money was used to defray the costs of the cleanup.