CHESAPEAKE, Va. (WAVY) – Chesapeake firefighters responded to a large debris pile fire Wednesday evening at Greenbrier Farms in the Saint Brides area of the city.
They remained on the scene overnight to dig out hotspots.
Chesapeake Fire Capt. Steven Bradley said the fire is at Greenbrier Farms at 225 Sign Pine Road, and was reported by several residents and an employee at 7:43 p.m.
Water tankers from Virginia Beach and Moyock fire departments have also been used to help out out the blaze.
Bradley said they got the fire under control Wednesday night, “but complete extinguishment is difficult due to the size of the pile and the depth of burning.”
Chesapeake Fire units are expected to be on the scene for an extended period while heavy equipment operators dig out hot spots.
Bradley said the fire “is believed to have started from the spontaneous combustion of decomposing and compost materials,” which are known to self-heat over time, and the fire potential rising during periods of high wind and low humidity.
Residents in the surrounding area can expect to see and smell smoke during this period, especially overnight and early morning as smoke stays close to the ground during times of temperature inversion.
