The St. Clair County Commission has declared a state of emergency to take more aggressive efforts to extinguish an underground fire at the Environmental Landfill near Moody that has been burning for more than a month just north of Birmingham.

The fire has been generating dozens of complaints throughout Alabama’s largest metro area.

Commission Chairman Stan Batemon said the declaration of a state of emergency gives the county additional legal authority and financial resources to try to put out the fire.

No specific options were discussed for how to do that, but county personnel said they would be working on a plan in the coming days.

The commission convened an emergency meeting Tuesday morning to address the fire, which was filled to capacity with more than 50 attendees in the commission chambers at the St. Clair County Courthouse in Pell City.

The commission unanimously approved a resolution to declare a state of emergency to request state and federal assistance in fighting the fire.

The fire was first reported to the Moody Fire Department on Black Friday, Nov. 25, and has blanketed much a large area in Birmingham’s northern suburbs with smoke, and creating concern over what those residents are breathing in.

The Environmental Landfill Inc., where the fire is located, is a “green waste” landfill that is only supposed to accept green or vegetation waste such as fallen tree limbs, leaves or yard debris. As such, the landfill is not regulated by the state like most landfills.

However, inspectors from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management and firefighting personnel have reported finding unauthorized waste including scrap tires and appliances at the site.

The fire is mostly burning underground, with smoke billowing out in seeps and at gaps that keep the flames going.

James Mulkey, a fire inspector with the Moody Fire Department told AL.com in December that their best estimates were that the fire spanned between 23 and 50 acres and could be layers of waste covered with dirt up to 150 feet deep in the site.