Underground fires at California landfills are causing significant concern as they spread, releasing toxic gases and hazardous waste. At the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in the Santa Clarita Valley, a fire discovered three years ago has tripled in size, threatening nearby communities with potential landslides of garbage and toxic liquids.

The fires began when the landfill's pollution control system introduced oxygen below ground, causing decades-old waste to decompose rapidly. This decomposition generated intense heat, releasing toxic gases and hazardous liquid waste to the surface. Residents of Val Verde and Castaic have reported thousands of complaints about the stench and have experienced nausea, dizziness, and breathing difficulties, according to the L.A. Times.

Efforts to stabilize the area are ongoing, with Waste Connections, the landfill's owner, working to prevent a collapse. However, the situation remains precarious. Assemblymember Pilar Schiavo expressed concerns about the potential for the hillside to liquefy and slide into the community. The situation at Chiquita Canyon is not isolated, as other landfills, such as El Sobrante near Corona and Avenal in the San Joaquin Valley, are also experiencing high temperatures and similar conditions.

Residents have taken extreme measures to cope, including wearing gas masks and sleeping in parking lots. Some have sold their homes to escape the toxic environment. Abigail DeSesa, a resident of Val Verde, regularly experiences headaches she attributes to landfill gases. She questions why she must bear the health costs of a problem she did not create, as reported by The Spokesman-Review.

Chiquita Canyon stopped accepting new garbage at the end of 2024, but the fire is expected to continue burning for years. The complexity of underground landfill fires makes them nearly impossible to extinguish once they start. As regulators search for solutions, residents endure the wait, struggling with health risks and environmental hazards.

The situation has prompted legislative action. Assembly Bill 27, introduced by Schiavo, aims to provide tax relief for residents affected by the landfill's emissions. However, the bill's future remains uncertain amid state budget challenges. Meanwhile, residents have filed over 25,000 complaints to local air quality officials, and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has cited the landfill company for regulatory violations, as noted by CalMatters.

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