America’s Garbage Fires Are Getting Worse and Making People Sick

All across the U.S., massive landfills are quietly smoldering—and making nearby residents ill. One of the worst examples is Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Los Angeles County, where locals like Brandi Howse are living just 500 yards from what they describe as a “garbage fire.” Howse, who was diagnosed with Stage 3 breast cancer, is among many residents of Val Verde experiencing unexplained illnesses they believe are tied to the landfill. According to Bloomberg’s in-depth investigation by Laura Bliss and Rachael Dottle, over 9,500 air quality complaints have been filed about the site since 2023.

Though the waste industry insists that sites like Chiquita are not technically on fire, experts have documented dangerously high temperatures underground—above 200°F in some areas. That’s hot enough to burn skin and release toxic gases like benzene, carbon monoxide, and hydrogen sulfide. These chemicals are linked to cancer, DNA damage, and respiratory problems. Waste Connections, the landfill operator, calls the phenomenon an “elevated temperature landfill” (ETLF), not a fire. But to residents experiencing chronic headaches, nosebleeds, and dead pets, the distinction feels insulting.

This isn’t an isolated case. At least ten other U.S. landfills have experienced similar overheating events since 2006, many in low-income or minority communities. The EPA previously limited oxygen and heat levels inside landfills to prevent fires, but in 2021, it rolled back a key safety standard under pressure from industry groups. Now, landfills are growing bigger, gas collection systems are sucking in more air, and subsurface smolders are becoming more common.

If you’re thinking this is just a trash problem, think again. It’s an Environmental justice crisis. Landfills like Chiquita are time bombs in plain sight, threatening health and ecosystems.

It’s time to stop dumping and start reforming. Support tougher landfill safety laws, reduce waste, go plant-based, and demand action from your local officials. Our trash shouldn’t be poisoning families—or the planet.

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