Fire returns to Chino dairy

By Neil Nisperos

Staff Writer

CHINO--Chino Valley firefighters were busy Wednesday at the same Chino dairy waste pile that saw a similar conflagration a month ago.

A 10-foot tall pile of green waste, consisting of branches, palm fronds, and other waste, was burning at the Van Der Eyk Dairy Farm, located at 17650 Hellman Avenue. 

Firefighters first arrived to the scene at 4:15 a.m.

Investigators are still looking into the cause of the fire. Two fire engine crews were on scene Wednesday. Officials expected the fire to burn anywhere between 24 to 48 hours.

"Fire crews are continually wetting down the burn area and are waiting for heavy equipment to arrive on scene to start breaking up the piles and spreading them out for extinguishment," said Massiel Ladron De Guevara, spokeswoman for the Chino Valley Independent Fire District.

Fire officials said green waste fires typically burn for long periods of time, because the material is densely packed. In order for the fire to be extinguished, firefighters use tools and machinery to break apart the pile.

The waste pile had earlier caught fire Dec. 12 at Vander Eyk Dairy at the corner of Hellman Avenue and Chino Corona Road. It took a few days for firefighters to extinguish the fire last month. 

No injuries or property damage was reported.

neil.nispeors@inlandnewspapers.com, 909-483-9356