Thousands of tons of almond hulls burning near Chowchilla

More than 5,000 tons of almond hulls burned Monday near Chowchilla, and the flames are expected to continue for at least two more days, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection in Merced County.

The fire broke out around 5 a.m. at Minturn Huller Cooperative on Minturn Road. The cause of the fire had not been determined, Cal Fire Battalion Chief Jeremy Rahn said.

About 20 firefighters worked to contain the blaze, which threatened to burn another 120,000 tons of almond hulls.

A hull is the outer covering of an almond kernel and is frequently used to feed livestock.

“We’re working closely with the company employees and their heavy equipment to keep the fire contained,” Rahn said. “This could burn another two or possibly three days.”

No injuries were reported.

“People driving through the area will likely see this burning for a while,” Rahn said.

This story was originally published November 16, 2015 at 7:31 PM with the headline "Thousands of tons of almond hulls burning near Chowchilla."