DNREC closes Polly Drummond Hill waste site until spring after fire

The Polly Drummond Hill Community Yard Waste Site, a seasonal drop-off location for northern New Castle County residents, will remain closed until spring after a fire earlier this week prompted safety concerns.

The fire, reported Tuesday morning, affected large piles of yard waste material. Emergency responders quickly contained the blaze, but smoldering continues, and suppression efforts are ongoing. DNREC and its contractor are working to extinguish the fire, with responders breaking apart the piles to address remaining hotspots. However, changing weather conditions and shifting winds make it uncertain how long the fire will take to fully extinguish.

In the interest of public safety, DNREC has decided not to reopen the yard waste site this weekend as planned. The facility, which operates seasonally on weekends, was scheduled to close for the winter after Sunday, Jan. 19. Instead, it will remain closed until Saturday, March 22.

While the Polly Drummond Hill site remains closed, DNREC reminds residents that many Delaware trash haulers offer yard waste collection services. Additionally, landowners can take their yard waste to commercial drop-off sites, which charge a fee for drop-off. A list of commercial yard waste drop-off sites is available on DNREC’s website at de.gov/yardwaste.

No road closures are planned in connection with the fire, but area residents may notice smoke and emergency vehicles on-site as work continues. Delaware Natural Resources Police and the contractor managing the facility are closely monitoring the situation.

While the exact cause of this fire has not been determined, large piles of organic material can generate heat. Sporadic fires at yard waste sites are not uncommon and can occur under certain conditions.