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TIUrsday 1 eoA Texas outfit to take on .re fire The Record WESTLEY — Crews will bee putting out the Westley tire fire Saturday, officials announced Wednesday. Officials decided late Wednesday afternoon to hire the Texas-based fire-suppression firm Williams Fire and Hazard Co. to smother the flames, according to Stanislaus County spokeswoman Virginia Madueno. ,,This is something that we've been waiting for;' Madueno said. The decision corttcs two days after a Westside community meet- ing at which more than 250 peo- ple demanded to know when the blaze would be squelched. That night, officials said it would be some time before they began sup- pressing the burning tires. Madueno did not have details on how or why ruthorities seem- ingly changed their minds. Officials with the Stanislaus County Fire Department,Williams Fire and Hazard, and the federal Environmental protection Agency could not be reached late Wednesday for comment. Starting today, crews will begin hauling off the 200,000 gallons of oil that has pooled in a pond on the property — a byproduct of the burned tines. The oil will be recycled at a plant in Newark. The lightning-sparked fire set ablaze more than 5 million of an _ estimated 7 million tires Sept. 22. Officials originally planned to let the blaze burn because of the intense heat of the fire and rugged terrain. Friday, they called in Williams Fire and Hazard to put out an oil fire. The oil, which ran off from the melted tires, caught fire late last week. That blaze was put out Sunday. Residents concerned about health hazards related to the tire fire can get free checkups from 8 a.m. to noon today at Patterson High School, 200 N.Seventh St., and from 1 to 5 P.M. at Grayson Elementary School, 310 Howard Road.