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10.C.A. - Page 1 <br /> REPORT <br /> To the Honorable Mayor and City Council <br /> From the City Manager <br /> January 27, 2014 <br /> SUBJECT <br /> Update on City Response to Fires at Sims Metal Management Recycling Facility <br /> RECOMMENDATION <br /> This update is provided for informational purposes. No Council action is required. <br /> BACKGROUND <br /> Sims Metal Management (SMM) operates a recycling facility on Seaport Boulevard <br /> within the Port of Redwood City. SMM has experienced two fires in the past three <br /> months, the first on November 10, 2013 and the second on December 17, 2013. These <br /> fires required significant City resources to combat and produced smoke and odor that <br /> were detected in Redwood City and the surrounding region. As a result, air quality <br /> regulators issued air alerts or advisories and school districts directed that children be <br /> kept inside and physical activity be kept to a minimum. <br /> The City of Redwood City is concerned about the impact of these fires on community <br /> health and safety and has taken a range of actions to safeguard the community's <br /> interests. These actions include: containing, extinguishing and investigating the fires; <br /> imposing requirements on SMM's operations to improve safety and monitoring their <br /> compliance; providing the public with information regarding the fire and the City's <br /> response; and coordinating with the other regulatory agencies that have jurisdiction in <br /> this matter, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California <br /> Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC), the Bay Area Air Quality Management <br /> District (BAAQMD), and the County of San Mateo. <br /> ANALYSIS <br /> The purpose of this informational report is to provide the City Council and community <br /> with a summary of the City's response to the SMM fires to-date and to outline an <br /> important next step to coordinate with the other regulatory agencies. <br /> Immediate Fire Response <br /> Both fires occurred in piles of metal that were awaiting the shredding process; the first <br /> fire was in a pile of scrap automobiles and the second was in a pile of other metals, <br /> such as household appliances. Fires such as these are very difficult to extinguish since <br /> the piles need to be taken apart with heavy machinery in order to access and contain <br /> the source of the fire. Nonetheless, the City's firefighting efforts were effective in <br /> combatting the fires and preventing their spread. The November blaze was under <br />