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Writer's pictureKyra Karatsu
May 59 min read

5 Reasons You Should Care About the Chiquita Canyon Landfill Fire

Updated: Aug 15


Contaminated water bursting onto the surface at Castaic’s Chiquita Canyon Landfill (Image by South Coast Air Quality Monitoring District).


As more Santa Clarita residents slam their windows shut and plug their noses, it has become increasingly clear that something repulsive is brewing just down the street. “Whether night time or early morning, you can't get away from it,” reads an online comment from Val Verde resident Araceli Schnaufer, “My family and I are truly concerned for our health and future of our life and property. Please stop the smell.” 


The odor’s culprit is the 30-acre subground fire at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill – a 639-acre Class III municipal solid waste landfill located in Castaic. The landfill has been in operation since 1974 and is owned by North American waste services company, Waste Connections, Inc. Currently, Waste Connections oversees the containment of the fire alongside L.A County and U.S Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) officials.


Operators, however, have been struggling to control the fire since at least the spring of 2023, when oxygen not filtered out by the landfill’s filtering system likely triggered a rare, yet volatile chemical reaction. According to CalRecycle, subsurface fires rapidly oxidize organic waste and are more likely to burn slowly without a visible flame unless exposed to the atmosphere. Although Waste Connections has disputed CalRecycle’s analysis of the reaction as a “heating/smoldering” event, 200 degree subground temperatures have now created enough pressure to force contaminated liquid and noxious odors above the surface.


These developments have since instilled concern into many residents of Santa Clarita and, particularly, the unincorporated community of Val Verde, with the closest residential area located approximately 1,000 feet from the landfill’s northwest property boundary. While Val Verde residents are bearing the brunt of the fire’s effects, the smell has been detected in Newhall, Valencia, and even as far as Stevenson Ranch. Over 7,000 complaints have been filed by Santa Clarita and Val Verde residents since the smell began in 2023.


REASON 1: The fire is diminishing the health of local communities.

Three byproducts of the landfill have become the primary focus of L.A County Public Health officials: hydrogen sulfide, benzene, and leachate. While comprehensive health reports are currently in-progress, officials have warned that all three have the potential to inflict both short-term and long-term health effects on Santa Clarita residents.


  • Hydrogen sulfide (or H2S) is a colorless, highly flammable gas that is characterized by a “rotten egg” odor and is produced by the bacterial breakdown of organic matter. According to the CDC, H2S can induce olfactory fatigue at continuous low concentrations and may trigger nausea, headaches, delirium, disturbed equilibrium, tremors, convulsions, and skin and eye irritation following acute exposure. In 2023, repeated hourly samples of H2S in the Val Verde area revealed levels above the California Ambient Air Quality Standard of .03 ppm/1-hour average, with some readings reaching above .6 ppm. The effects of H2S have likely been felt by Santa Clarita and Val Verde residents, as reports of dizziness, confusion, and migraines are regularly communicated to local officials.


  • Benzene, a known carcinogen, is a colorless liquid that evaporates quickly. Spill and gas samples taken from Chiquita Canyon have revealed elevated levels of benzene, with air monitoring systems detecting benzene at 69.5 ppb – a number that is more than 8x times the state health limit for short-term exposure. During times of short-term inhalation at high concentrations, local residents can experience headaches, dizziness, drowsiness, confusion, and unconsciousness. Long-term inhalation exposure at lower levels may also cause acute myeloid leukemia and blood disorders, such as anemia or excessive bleeding. While there have been no reported instances of acute myeloid leukemia, some Val Verde residents have recently reported nose bleeds.



REASON 2: Contaminants from the fire are polluting the environment.

These three byproducts have rang several environmental alarms as well. Although attempts are being made to slow the spread of hydrogen sulfide, benzene, and leachate, historic California rains and atmospheric exposure have increasingly threatened the welfare of local flora and fauna. 


  • When dissolved into water, hydrogen sulfide forms sulfuric acid – a type of acid that is corrosive to metals and contributes to acidic deposition to soil and water. As Chiquita Canyon is surrounded on three sides by mountainous ridges, groundwater drains either toward the Santa Clara River Plain or into Castaic Creek. However, as increased levels of H2S from Chiquita Canyon become exposed to the air and dissolve into local water systems, the pH of these river systems may be lowered and, consequently, produce toxic conditions for surrounding wildlife. As of February 2024, L.A County Public Health has not conducted any studies on the local water table to determine if any systems have been contaminated.


  • While benzene can pass through water into soil and disrupt aquatic and agricultural systems, the inhalation of benzene can prove particularly problematic for local wildlife. According to the EPA, animal studies have shown neurologic, immunologic, and hematologic effects from inhalation and oral exposure to benzene. Adverse effects on fetuses of pregnant animals following benzene inhalation exposure (e.g., low birth weight, delayed bone formation, and bone marrow damage) have also been observed.


  • The overflow of leachate contributes directly to greenhouse gas emissions – according to the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection, methane from leachate has 21 times the warming potential of carbon dioxide. Additionally, as Southern California experiences record rainfalls, leachate forced above ground by pressure buildup at Chiquita Canyon may begin to flood into local water systems and agricultural lands. Contaminated wastewater has currently not migrated offsite, but officials have reported that the spills are now large enough to reach the landfill’s perimeter.


REASON 3: It's becoming increasingly expensive to extinguish.

According to a November 2023 financial report filed by Waste Connections, costs to mitigate the effects of the landfill fire were estimated at $30 million in the second half of 2023, $75 million in 2024, and $40 million in 2025. Studies to analyze the state of the landfill are also proving to be expensive, with the most recent L.A County contracted study on landfill gas emissions costing around $400,000. 


To address residents, $2 million from the Chiquita Canyon Landfill’s Community Benefit Fund has been allocated to provide $1000 to $2000 utility reimbursement grants. Further, while no statements on relocation have been announced yet by the waste management company, L.A County Supervisor Kathryn Barger has also recently urged Waste Connections to relocate Val Verde and impacted Castaic residents until the situation has stabilized – a costly but increasingly necessary measure as residents across the city continue to generate complaints.


Hundreds of Santa Clarita residents have also filed a class action lawsuit seeking compensation for damages inflicted by the landfill. The two lawsuits against Waste Connections filed by Kiesel Law and Keosian Law now represent thousands of angered residents and communicate the significant toll that the landfill has taken on their health and quality of life.


Although not explicitly outlined in the lawsuit, residents have also reported other hidden costs such as:


  • Doctor’s appointments and prescription co-pays.

  • Indoor air purification installation.

  • Permanent, voluntary relocation costs.


As the radius of the odor continues to expand, financial damages may soon have to account for the entire Santa Clarita Valley.


REASON 4: Residents are harmed by county official & operators' negligence.

Across board, district, and council meetings, it’s become increasingly clear that progress towards cleaner living conditions is being slowed by Waste Connections and L.A County Public Health officials.


Waste Connections, notably, has failed to immediately report relevant findings to both air district officials and the public – despite spillage occurring in mid-2022, Waste Connections neglected to report that leachate had spilled out onto the surface until October 2023. Chiquita Canyon has also been slow to notify the air district of elevated benzene levels at Hasley Canyon Park, with results being reported weeks after their discovery in November. Although the South Coast Air Quality Management District has since required that the landfill must increase their transparency and remove wastewater seven days a week, Chiquita Canyon has, historically, failed to provide public, accessible information and have declared that there were no plans to dispose of contaminated water on Sundays or some holidays. 


L.A County Public Health has also neglected to give transparent health information to residents, with some health reports neglecting to account for residents’ lived experiences. At a January South Coast AQMD hearing board meeting, it was revealed that, despite residents’ claims of feeling ill, reports from a toxicologist contracted by L.A County Public Health denied that the fire had caused any significant health effects.


REASON 5: Without public intervention, residents' quality of life will continue to worsen.

With the fire projected to burn another 2 to 4 years – and as air quality conditions worsen – residents have increasingly felt helpless in the fight against the fire. “We are living like we are in prison,” says longtime Val Verde resident Abigail DeSasa to the Los Angeles Times, “Our quality of life is gone. My health is gone. And I feel hopeless.”


However, while it is ultimately up to the county, EPA, and Waste Connections to make the repairs necessary to extinguish the fire, residents should not feel totally excluded from the process – in fact, public intervention is often required to help increase the accountability, efficacy, quality, and pace of operations. And with health, environment, and money on the line, Santa Clarita and Val Verde residents should advocate for both the recovery of local communities and the prevention of future landfill fires. Advocacy comes in many shapes and forms, but some examples may include:


  • Demanding for the release of real time data from L.A County and Waste Connections officials to increase widespread knowledge of the landfill fire among Santa Clarita and Val Verde residents. L.A County Public Health’s Santa Clarita district office can be contacted at (661) 287-7000 while Waste Connections can be reached at 844-708-7274.

  • Joining other Santa Clarita and Val Verde residents in class action lawsuits to give victims compensation and set a precedent for future incidents at Chiquita Canyon and other landfills. While their informational flyers have been distributed across the city, Kiesel Law can be called at 310-854-4444 and Keosian Law at 877-554-2226.

  • Reaching out to local representatives to demand change and accountability. Relevant names may include: Santa Clarita mayor Cameron Smyth (who can be reached at 661-259-2489), L.A County Supervisor Kathyrn Barger (213-974-5555), and 27th congressional district representative Mike Garcia (661-568-4855).


From health concerns to environmental pollution and financial implications, the neglect of the Chiquita Canyon Landfill fire is having a growing, toxic impact on its surrounding Val Verde and Santa Clarita neighbors. As it becomes clear that immediate action is needed to address the ongoing crisis posed by the fire and its aftermath, the public plays an increasingly critical role in the mitigation and prevention of landfill fires.


     

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