# Burning Rubber (DD-457)

> Tire fires are hard to extinguish because tires are made of flammable rubber, synthetic polymers and steel, and piles trap heat. They can smolder for days, weeks or months, releasing carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, volatile organic compounds and heavy metals that pollute air, soil and water. The footage, credited to James Melville, shows a large tire pile burning.

- Department: Science
- First published: 2025-01-12
- Last updated: 2025-01-12
- Permalink: https://detailenjoyer.com/case/burning-rubber/
- Author: Marcus Easterling (DetailEnjoyer), The Detail Department

## Quick facts

- **DD-457-F01**: Rubber and polymers. _(Write-up · Exhibit A (Fuel))_
- **DD-457-F02**: Days to months. _(Write-up · Exhibit B (Duration))_

## Write-up

A tire pile fire can smolder for months. It releases toxic smoke into air, soil and water.

1. **Fuel**: Rubber and polymers.
2. **Duration**: Days to months.
3. **Gases**: CO and sulfur oxides.
4. **VOCs**: Released.
5. **Pollution**: Air, soil, water.

## Reel vs. record

- **Note**: None needed.

## Video: Burning Rubber: A Tire Pile Fire Can Smolder for Months

- Duration: 27.8 s · Published: 2025-01-12
- File: https://detailenjoyer.com/assets/videos/DEvR8stJui-.mp4

### Transcript

Did you know, burning tire piles are a significant environmental and safety hazard due to the large quantities of toxic smoke and pollutants they release. Tires are highly flammable and once ignited are difficult to extinguish due to their composition of rubber, synthetic polymers, and steel. The intense heat can cause fire to smolder for days, weeks, or even months. These fires release harmful chemicals like carbon monoxide, sulfur oxides, and volatile organic compounds or VOCs, as well as heavy metals which contaminate the air, soil, and water. NOW YOU KNOW!

## Questions & answers

**Q: How long can they smolder?**  
A: Persistent. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit A (Fuel) · Wikipedia: Tire fire)_

**Q: A pollutant?**  
A: Toxic. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit B (Duration) · Wikipedia: Tire fire)_

**Q: What is in tires?**  
A: Composition. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit C (Gases) · Wikipedia: Tire fire)_

**Q: What gets contaminated?**  
A: Runoff. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit D (VOCs) · Wikipedia: Tire fire)_

**Q: VOC means?**  
A: Fumes. _(Source: Write-up · Exhibit E (Pollution) · Wikipedia: Tire fire)_

## Sources

- [Wikipedia: Tire fire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tire_fire)

## Cite this case file

Easterling, Marcus. "Burning Rubber." The Detail Department (DetailEnjoyer), case file DD-457, last updated Jan 12, 2025. https://detailenjoyer.com/case/burning-rubber/