Councilmembers say El Sobrante landfill temperatures are declining; county and EPA managing hot spots
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Summary
Councilmembers reported there is no active fire at the El Sobrante landfill, described measures taken to reduce elevated temperatures and methane, and said there were no immediate plans to accept fire debris at the site.
Councilmembers used their comments period during an unspecified March 2025 meeting to summarize recent updates about the El Sobrante landfill, saying county officials and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency have undertaken measures to reduce elevated temperatures and gas pressures at the site.
Speakers reported that the elevated temperatures at the landfill are the result of a chemical decomposition reaction rather than a sustained fire and that site managers have installed additional gas wells and are removing liquid to reduce temperatures. Councilmembers said pressure readings and liquid levels are decreasing and that a flare system has been added to burn off gas; officials expected the additional measures to continue lowering site temperatures.
Councilmembers also addressed media reports that described the landfill as “on fire,” saying that characterization was inaccurate. They reported there were no immediate plans to receive fire debris at El Sobrante and that any future debris acceptance would follow U.S. EPA procedures to remove hazardous materials and to locate debris disposal areas at a safe distance from hot spots.
The council did not take any formal action on the landfill during the meeting; speakers encouraged residents with questions to contact Riverside County Waste Management for further information.
