Large plumes of hazardous, black smoke erupted after a tire recycling facility caught on fire in Central Valley.
The fire took place at American Tire Recycling, LLC at the 13000 block of Newport Road in the community of Ballico in Merced County Monday afternoon.
“Merced County fire crews are currently on scene of a large tire fire east of Turlock, which is producing a significant smoke column that may be visible from throughout the surrounding area,” the Turlock Fire Department posted on Facebook.
“Residents in the Turlock area may notice smoke and/or odors from the fire. Please avoid the area and allow emergency crews room to operate,” the department warned.
CHP also announced the closure of Newport Road between Sunny Acres Avenue and East Avenue, while telling residents that there is no timetable for when the road will reopen.
One person who took a video of the incident told The Post that “it was super scary from my POV” and “they were burning tires.” He also said that his son could “see it from our house in Winton.”
A smoke advisory was also issued by the Merced County Fire Department, stating that “due to the nature of the fire and the materials involved, the fire is expected to continue burning for some time.”
Individuals with sensitive respiratory conditions are encouraged to be careful and avoid the area until the fire is extinguished. Emergency crews are also on scene.
The tire facility incident comes just around a week after California unanimously approved new rules that will phase out the sale of replacement tires that don’t meet the state’s energy-efficiency standards, which could eliminate nearly 70% of tires sold.
The rules approved by California’s Energy Commission could see average tire prices soar up to $157 from $81 according to the Tire Industry Association.
