City monitoring ‘small’ yard waste fire at north Lincoln facility

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) – City officials are monitoring a yard waste fire at one of its waste management facilities in north Lincoln.

On Friday, the Lincoln Transportation and Utilities Department said a pile of yard waste has been burning at the North 48th Street Solid Waste Management Facility for a week.

“The fire is small and under control,” said Karla Welding, solid waste management superintendent, in a press release.  “This type of event can sometimes happen when heat is generated during the natural biological decomposition of the leaves and yard waste and can take several weeks to eventually burn itself out.”

The department is consulting with Lincoln Fire & Rescue.

The Lincoln-Lancaster County Health Department said air quality in Lincoln was rated as good this morning.  But city officials said that could change.

“Those with respiratory or heart conditions are advised to take necessary precautions,” said Gary Bergstrom, the health department’s air quality program supervisor, in the release.  “Those most at risk are youth, older adults and sensitive individuals with respiratory or heart conditions.”

Bergstrom said to trust your body because the measurements might not always be accurate for the entire city.

“I’d say there’s been times where we’ve seen some elevated smoke levels,” he said.  “I would say anywhere that’s downwind of the fire and in line of the smoke is probably going to be experiencing some poor air quality.”

The health department monitors air quality 24 hours a day.  The Air Quality Index can be found HERE.