Fire covered; Iowa City landfill reopening to public

The Iowa City landfill has reopened to the public following the completion of recent fire-extinguishing efforts, the city announced Monday.

The release said contractors at the landfill finished the stir, burn, and cover extinguishing method on Sunday.

Because the shredded tires are expected to burn beneath a layer of clay for several days, city officials are shifting their focus back to containment efforts. Officials said they will now focus on preventing the fire from spreading to other cells in the landfill and extinguish any remaining trash from the area where the fire started.

These efforts are expected to produce smoke periodically, but the release said large plumes of smoke are not expected to come from the landfill.

Because the fire has been covered, the landfill is open to the public during regular business hours between 7 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday.