The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has taken command of a Fountain-area tire fire that is emitting “extremely poisonous” smoke, is expected to contaminate Fountain Creek and spurred the closure of an elementary school Tuesday.
But the blaze must burn itself out, officials said.
The tires’ steel wheels are so hot that firefighters can’t cool them and extinguish the blaze, which likely will continue emitting toxic smoke for the next week.
“At some point, you have to say it’s best to let itself burn to the ground,” Jim Reid, executive director of the El Paso County Office of Emergency Management, told county commissioners Tuesday. “Since there are no lives immediately at stake from the fire, we can do that.”
EPA officials were investigating how far the toxic chemicals have traveled.
Depending on their findings, more people might have to evacuate the area. Three houses remain evacuated now from within a half-mile of the blaze, Hanover Fire Chief Carl Tatum said.
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