EnvironmentQuiet 44d · day 45
Toxic underground fires spread across California landfills
Underground smoldering at Chiquita Canyon has grown to affect nearby communities; similar conditions found at two other sites.
What to know
- An underground fire at Chiquita Canyon Landfill has tripled in size since 2023, releasing toxic gases and hazardous waste affecting thousands of nearby residents with health complaints.
- Similar high-temperature underground conditions have been discovered at two other California landfills (El Sobrante and Avenal), raising questions about whether this is a widespread problem.
- A destabilized hillside at Chiquita Canyon threatens to collapse into the community, potentially releasing an avalanche of waste and contaminated leachate.
- Residents report severe health impacts and have taken extreme measures to escape, including wearing gas masks and abandoning homes.
Waste Connections Landfill owner and operator
Pilar Schiavo California Assembly member (D-Santa Clarita)Abigail DeSesa Val Verde resident
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