For weeks, south Kansas City residents have reported a mysterious smell of smoke hanging in the area around the Bannister and Holmes area.
That mystery and smell has been resolved.
The Kansas City Fire Department reports that as of this morning a mulch fire that had been burning at Heartland Tree Recycling at 9001 Troost is out.
Dousing the continuous fire was accomplished with the help of the Kansas City Public works Department. Public Works spent several days using heavy equipment to spread the mulch. This process allowed the fire to burn out eliminating the need for thousands and thousands of gallons of water.
“KCFD would like to give thanks to the Public Works Department for their efforts in this process,” read a statement from Battalion Chief Michael Hopkins.
Hopkins says its not unusual to have mulch fires during a snowy winter. Thick mulch piles can trap heat more easily, increasing the risk of ignition.
“We deal with three to four mulch fires a year,” Hopkins says.