'These Fires Can Burn For A Long Time': Tulsa, Turley Firefighters Put Out Landfill Fire

Tulsa and Turley Firefighters spent 12 hours fighting a massive fire at a Tulsa Landfill near 56th Street North and Highway 75.

The Tulsa fire department says it started Sunday night, and it wasn't put out until Monday morning.

Andy Little with the Tulsa Fire Department says landfill fires are inevitable, but people can do their part to lower the chances of them happening.

A lot of things can spark a landfill fire, like a battery that's improperly disposed of.

"When they start, and other trash or debris are piled on top of them, those fires can burn for a long time, and it's very difficult for firefighters to get water on those fires just because of the amount of debris on top of them," Little said.

The fire at the Tulsa landfill started around 7:30 Sunday night. It took crews all night to put it out.

"If a fire is buried and it's smoldering, it can travel through whether there are voids so it doesn't stay in one spot, it can move around so it's often very difficult to find the seat of that fire," said Little.

The smoke and large flames were hard to miss at one point. Little said people stopping to get a look at the fire adds stress to crews that are already spread thin.

"We're either going to have to send more firefighters to come respond to the crash, or they’re going to have to send those that are already busy working to come help your family or tend to your medical emergency, and we need to prevent that," said Little.

Another factor that makes it a long job for fire crews is the weather; they rely on area fire departments to come in and relieve crews. 

"They may not have enough people to rotate out once they come overcome with heat so to be able to have neighbors that can respond with men and women who are fresh and ready to go, it's vital," said Little.

If you need to dispose of batteries, you can go to Lowe's, Home Depot, or Bicycles of Tulsa.

This fire is still under investigation.