Riley Co., Kan. — The Riley County Transfer Station, located at 1881 Henton Road, is planning a controlled burn of the community brush pile starting Wednesday, August 17 if weather conditions allow. The burn is expected to take a week to complete. During this time, smoke may be noticeable in surrounding areas including Manhattan City limits.

“Since the last burn, we have taken in about 6,170 tons of brush and trees,” said Assistant County Engineer Evan McMillan.  “That total includes more than 760 tons of debris from the June storms.”

The controlled burn will not have any impact on normal operations at the transfer station. However, conditions for dropping off brush and limbs will not be ideal during this time. Residents are encouraged to hold off on dumping limbs and brush until after the burn has finished.

Not all the plant material dropped off at the transfer station is burned – some materials are processed and made available to the public. People can pick up woodchips, firewood, and compost during open hours. While woodchips and firewood are free, the public must chop the firewood themselves. Compost is available at a cost of $20.00 per ton, with a minimum charge of $10.00. Customers interested in these items need to stop by the scale house near the entrance to inform attendants and get instructions.

The Riley County Transfer Station is open 7:00 a.m – 5:00 p.m Monday through Saturday. Customers can pay with charge accounts and credit card transactions only. No cash or check transactions will be accepted at the transfer station. Call 785-565-6290 during open hours for more information.