Taft, Ca - Tuesday, July 20, 2010 at approximately 2:27 P.M. a call was received by the Kern County Fire Department for green waste piles on fire at Synagro east of Taft. Approximately 10 Kern County firefighters responded to the incident to include three engines and one battalion chief from the surrounding communities.

Crews arrived on scene faced with 4 piles, approximately one half acre, of shredded green waste on fire. Fire crews knocked the flames down with water and penetrating foam. Other equipment was used to break up the piles and separate the unburned products. The burned product will continue to smolder and produce some visible smoke.

The cause of the fire appears to be from spontaneous combustion. Spontaneous combustion is usually a slow process that can take several hours of decomposition or oxidation with heat build up to a point of ignition.

No injuries have been reported at this time.