News

Ask Matt ... what's up with Mills River debris pile fire

By MATT MATTESON, Published: October 14, 2025

Q. Why is it taking so long to put out the fire in the stump dump in Mills River and how did it start? 

   It is assumed that the fire at the Riverside Stump Dump, which was first reportedat 2 a.m.  Saturday, Oct. 4, was caused by spontaneous combustion. It is not unusual for a pile of debris, in this case 75 feet high, to ignite by itself from heat. I spoke with Scott Burnette, the interim fire chief of the Mills River Fire & Rescue, who said the fire, now in its 10^th day, could burn for another week. “There is no risk of spreading,” the chief said. “There is a natural fire-break, a 24-hour on-site watch and continual checking by our department.” Burnette estimated that there were 15 tons of mulch, nearly all from Hurricane Helene. No other fire departments were called in for assistance.

   “Upon arriving at the scene, we focused on three exposures – the nearby cell tower, a propane tank and the office,” Burnette said. Fortunately, there was a fire hydrant at the dump’s entrance on NC 191. Some 4 million gallons of water had been applied.

“Because of the runoff, the Mills River ran black for four days and the city of Hendersonville Water Department switched to an alternative raw water intake,” he said.

Burnette explained the science of the fire. Because the fire was burning at the very bottom of a huge pile of mulch, water could not reach it and combustion was incomplete thus causing massive amounts of smoke. It may sound counterintuitive but adding water causes more smoke. “The best solution is to let the fire burn itself out,” Burnette said.

That was not readily accepted by neighbors such as the Appalachian Mountain Brewery next door. The tap room closed its doors last weekend due to shifting winds blowing smoke into the tap room.