BEMIDJI 鈥� Landfill operator Bob Revering saw one of the shortest lines he鈥檚 seen in days at the Beltrami County Demolition Landfill on Tuesday. It was only about 10 vehicles long, most with trailers full of trees.
鈥淚t鈥檚 short right now,鈥� he said. 鈥淏efore, the cars were packed into the woods.鈥�
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That鈥檚 how long the line was to the landfill after Saturday鈥檚 severe storms, with over 100-mile-per-hour winds causing an abundance of trees to go down across Bemidji.
Businesses and property owners have been dumping stumps and tree branches at the landfill ever since. Some have been to the landfill eight times already, others 20 times, all trying to get their properties or their neighbors' properties cleaned up as quickly as possible.
鈥淪unday was crazy, and Monday was nuts,鈥� Revering said on Tuesday. 鈥淭oday is just as bad.鈥�
The landfill usually closes at noon on Saturdays, along with being completely closed on Sundays and Mondays. However, workers came in on their days off since Saturday, allowing Bemidjians a place to dump off trees and other debris from storm damage.
鈥淚f we're not here to do it, it's not going to get done,鈥� Revering said of his co-workers coming in on their days off. 鈥淚t'll just be a big pile of nothing up there.鈥�
The current plan is for the landfill workers to work from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. every day until Saturday, June 28. There鈥檚 also an additional site taking trees southwest of Target off of 23rd Street SW, which is open the same hours.
鈥淲e鈥檒l see what happens after that,鈥� Revering said. 鈥淒riving around the community on the way home from work last night, yeah, we鈥檙e going to be here a while yet.鈥�
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There鈥檚 been plenty of outside help with the cleanup, with people from Park Rapids, Royalton, Excelsior and more dumping trees off at the landfill. Surrounding counties have also sent their stump grinders to help the landfill deal with the influx of trees.
鈥淗ubbard County has sent up their grinder, and Polk County sent up their grinder too,鈥� Revering said. 鈥淪o we've got a lot of support from the other counties, which is nice.鈥�
Bryce Kondos was one of the pickup trucks waiting in line Tuesday with a trailer full of stumps and branches. He鈥檚 been helping a property near Bemidji Middle 歪歪漫画 transport fallen trees to the landfill. He estimates he needs to make about 30 trips in total in order to clear out all the trees on the property.
鈥淚 was here all day Monday, and I鈥檒l probably be here all day today too,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e have everything cut up; we just need to bring them here.鈥�
With all the chaos since Saturday鈥檚 storms, Revering and the landfill workers have been grateful for everyone's patience and kindness.
鈥淓verybody鈥檚 been really nice, especially on Sunday when it was so hot,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey're doing the best they can, but everybody's been in a good mood so far.鈥�
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