Human-Caused Wildfire Tears Through 8,000-Car Classic Salvage Yard

Saving Salvage

Salvage car lots across America are a sight to behold. On the one hand, it’s still amazing to see these places still exist, considering the modern world has new innovative ways to recycle old cars. It does still have its place in the hearts and minds of enthusiasts, a final place to search for hidden gems just waiting to be picked up and reborn.

These places serve as a final stop for people looking for a new project or in need of very specific parts for a current one. Unfortunately, one beloved salvage yard recently lost nearly all of its inventory, with fans across the nation lamenting the tragedy.

L&L Up In Flames

Idaho News 6 reports that firefighters responded to a large blaze in Wendell, Idaho. A fire broke out at L&L Classic Auto’s massive 8,600-acre lot, filled with around 8,000 salvage cars, most of them classics. According to another report by The Drive, most of L&L’s inventory consisted of cars dating from the 1920s to the 1980s.

Classic car YouTube personality David Freiburger, who has featured this specific lot multiple times, posted on his personal Facebook account about the incident. He states that he obtained information indicating the fire had sadly reached the “treasure trove” of classic cars on the lot. The good news is that everyone is okay, but the junkyard really took a big hit.

A Shrinking Business

What made this fire challenging to put out was that it burned through dried grass and brush, which was also being fueled by the winds. The specific cause has yet to be revealed, but according to the initial Idaho News 6 report, the fire was sadly started by human error. A full damage report has yet to be produced, but based on the photos and videos circulating online, things don’t look good.

L&L’s recent setback is made more significant by the fact that salvage yards like theirs are shrinking in number. There are a number of reasons, but most people point to cars with too much tech, corporate companies taking over the recycling business, and stricter rules and regulations on vehicle recycling.