By Lindsay Walker
Mail | Twitter: @AzNewsmedia

The Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department is putting out a fire at the city’s compost yard, which is still an active scene. 

According to the department, reports of a fire just north of Rio Salado Parkway and Priest Drive came in around 10 a.m. Wednesday morning. Much of the compost yard was found on fire, which crews believe started on the west end of the large mulch pile. 

Firefighters from Phoenix and Scottsdale also assisted with separating the mulch and containing the flames. 

In a statement, Andrea Glass, a spokesperson for the Tempe Fire Medical Rescue Department, said smoldering will likely go on for some time at the site, but that no one has been injured. 

“City of Tempe Municipal Utilities crews and fire personnel continued to work together to separate and contain the burning mulch,” she said. “The mulch piles have been separated, the fire is contained, and is expected to continue to smolder through the night. A plan is in place to continue to use front end loaders and water tenders to address the smoldering mulch. These types of fires can sometimes take days to completely put out because of the way mulch burns. No injuries are reported. The cause is not yet determined.”