Cleanup begins on contaminated soil in Mecca

On Tuesday morning, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) will be cleaning soil in Mecca that was left contaminated by multiple brush fires throughout the past year near Avenue 64 and Dale Kiler Road.

The most recent fire sparked on Thursday, May 14 in an unused grape field. Authorities said the field was overgrown with brush and the fire quickly grew to about 20 acres due to wind blowing eastward at 15 to 20 MPH.

Officials said the fire didn’t pose a threat to nearby homes or buildings, however, they let the flames burn for awhile because they believed arsenic was in the stakes used to hold the grapes and officials didn’t think there was a reason to put firefighters in any unnecessary danger.

According to a release, laboratory analysis of samples taken at the site after the fire showed levels of arsenic, copper and chromium in the soil that exceeded federal and state health-protection standards for these substances.

To protect the public health, the DTSC has hired a contractor to clean up the contaminated areas on the 40-acre parcel where the grape steaks burned during several fires.

The clean up will include the use of high-powered industrial vacuum equipment that will remove the contaminated soil starting early Tuesday morning. The cleanup is expected to last up to 10 days. Soil removed will be secured in special bins on site and additional sampling and laboratory analysis may be conducted during the cleanup, officials said in the release.

Any unburned grape stakes will be disposed of properly.

Representatives from DTSC, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and the Riverside County Department of Environmental Health will observe the cleanup.

After the cleanup is complete, dry brush will be removed from the remainder of the unburned portion of the land, as well as the adjacent 20-acre parcel, according to DTSC.