MOODY, Ala. (WIAT) — Mathew Huyser is an on-scene coordinator with the EPA and has spent a large part of the past few days at the landfill fire in Moody.

Huyser has been actively monitoring the work of the company the EPA chose to put the fire out and says progress is being made.

“Currently, our operations include grading the area for cover soil that’s going to be installed on top of it. That cover soil will be packed down,” Huyser said. “The objective will be to limit the airflow that’s going into the landfill currently. If we can prevent the airflow from going in then we can smother and suffocate the fire.”

While the activity at the landfill to put the fire out is appreciated by those in the community, many residents are upset about how long it has taken to get crews on site and working at the landfill. Many residents have been in contact with Birmingham attorney Caroline Hollingsworth of Henninger Garrison Davis Attorneys. Hollingsworth has filed a lawsuit on behalf of several clients looking for relief.

“We are just trying to find answers,” Hollingsworth said. “The people who are calling us want to know why this happened, what’s going to be done about it, how did it get to this point, are they going to have long-term health issues all kinds of questions. This lawsuit was to try and find out those answers for our clients.”

In response to community interest, the EPA has set up a website that details activity and findings. Huyser said it’s all in an effort to arm the community with information.

“We want the community to be aware of what we are doing, so the EPA maintains a response website for our projects,” he said. “And we are using signs around the neighborhoods to advertise what we are doing and what we are measuring.”

Huyser said that EPA monitors are showing readings that are “above normal but not hazardous.”

To check on the website the EPA has set up for the Moody Landfill Fire, click here.