Garfield County Landfill closes for high wind periods

PRESS RELEASE April 22, 2022

The Garfield County Landfill west of Rifle was expected to be closed the remainder of April 22, 2022 due to high winds occurring. State regulations require that landfills close during periods of high winds.

The National Weather Service issued a high wind warning until 6 pm, April 22 for the De Beque to Silt corridor, indicating that winds may gust up to 60 mph. Sustained southwest winds are expected at 25-35 mph. The Garfield County Landfill is currently experiencing gusts up to 50 mph this afternoon. The weather service projected additional impacts may include downed trees or limbs, power lines, difficulty in travel for high profile vehicles and power outages are possible.

At the landfill, debris that the wind can catch and carry aloft can become a risk to human safety rapidly and unexpectedly. Frequent brief closures occurred this week at the landfill due to high winds. Landfill staff requests that patrons intending to bring debris to the landfill should call before driving out to the facility to confirm whether the landfill is expected to stay open at any time during wind events, especially in the afternoons when winds are at their peak. When winds reach a sustained risk level, landfill staff closes for as long as necessary, and then reopens when the wind calms to a safe level. Please call 970-625-2516 to help in assessing current conditions at the landfill regarding whether to travel to the facility on Anvil Point Road.

Residents are asked to take special care during high wind events when driving or walking, and to protect against wind-blown dust impacts as well. Garfield County is under a red flag warning today for fire weather, also issued by the National Weather Service. A Red Flag Warning means that critical fire weather conditions are either occurring now or will shortly. A combination of strong winds, low relative humidity, and warm temperatures can contribute to extreme fire behavior during these warning periods. These occur frequently, and it is best to follow the National Weather Service channels and weather apps to learn when these warnings are issued. Burning is not permitted on Red Flag Warning days.