Timeline of Recycling center "scrap fires" in recent history (and a focus on Sims Metal):
(NOTE: Lines that start with * are Sims Metal)

CA State created a "scrap fire task force" in Sep 2012: http://articles.latimes.com/2012/sep/07/local/la-me-scrap-metal-20120907
Sims Metal in RWC has been "cracked down on" for a previous fire: http://www.mercurynews.com/ci_19708312


* November 10, 2013: Redwood City, CA, USA (Sims Metal)
* http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_24496376?source=redbar


November 1, 2013: Dagenham, East London, UK ("a recycling centre on Chequers lane") 
http://www.itv.com/news/london/update/2013-11-01/fire-at-scrap-metal-yard-in-dagenham/
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/440585/Dagenham-fire-120-firefighters-attend-scrap-metal-yard-blaze
http://www.scrapmonster.com/news/dagenham-scrap-metal-yard-fire-firefighters-walk-out-from-the-scene/1/10261
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_ZlSnCgAhQ

Oct 26, 2013: Alton Park, Chattanooga, TN, USA (Designed Alloy Products)
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2013/oct/26/alton-park-blast-fire-under-investigation/

Oct 25, 2013: Greensboro, NC, USA  (D.H. Griffin Wrecking Co)
http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/article_7e860734-3d75-11e3-b206-001a4bcf6878.html

Oct 22, 2013: Brentwood, NY, USA (Island Rail Terminal Ltd?  Emjay Environmental Recycling Ltd?)
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/firefighter-worker-hurt-in-recycling-facility-fire-1.6298253
http://longisland.news12.com/news/officials-probe-cause-of-recycling-plant-blaze-in-brentwood-1.6298392
http://www.newsday.com/long-island/suffolk/fire-still-burning-at-brentwood-transfer-station-1.6305236

Oct 17, 2013: Wingfield, South Australia, AU (Wingfield Waste & Recycling) 
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-16/thick-smoke-drifts-from-waste-depot-fire/5025374
http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/south-australia/rubbish-fire-at-wingfield-waste-and-recycling-depot-burns-into-second-day/story-fni6uo1m-1226740685676

Oct 14, 2013: Opa-locka, FL, USA (Trademark Metals Recycling)
http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/10/14/3688777/scrap-yard-fire-sends-plumes-of.html
http://www.nbcmiami.com/news/WATCH-Firefighters-Try-to-Extinguish-Blaze-at-Scrap-Yard-227662221.html

Oct 7, 2013: Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA (Fort Lauderdale Scrap)
http://thewestsidegazette.com/fire-rescue-quickly-extinguishes-fire-at-scrap-metal-yard/

Oct 3, 2013: Stockton, CA, USA (Newark Recycling & Recovery ~ Newark Recycled Paperboard Solutions)
http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20131003/A_NEWS/131009962
http://www.kcra.com/news/fire-breaks-out-at-stockton-recycling-plant/-/11797728/22265028/-/12bnc2/-/index.html

Oct 2, 2013: Phoenix, AZ, USA (SA Recycling) {FORMER SIMS LOCATION? http://www.wasterecyclingnews.com/article/20121204/NEWS04/121209988/sims-metal-sells-its-arizona-scrap-metal-recycling-assets }
http://www.azfamily.com/news/Fire-at-scrap-metal-yard-in-Phoenix-226126791.html
http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/23587358/2013/10/02/phoenix-recycling-plant-catches-fire

Sep 10, 2013: Laverton North, Victoria, AU (Norstar Steel Recyclers)
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/firefighters-contain-blaze-in-laverton-scrap-yard/story-fni0fit3-1226715525803
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-10/dangerous-steel-recycling-fire-spreads-smoke-through-melbourne/4947276

Sep 5, 2013: Orlando, FL, USA (Trademark Metals Recycling) 
http://articles.orlandosentinel.com/2013-09-05/news/os-fire-scrap-metal-plant-20130905_1_firefighters-battle-flames-orange-county-fire-rescue-scrap-metal
http://baynews9.com/content/news/baynews9/news/article.html/content/news/articles/cfn/2013/9/5/orlando_firefighters.html

Sep 3, 2013: Birmingham, AL, USA (Steel City Recycling)
http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2013/09/40_to_50_junk_cars_on_fire_at.html
http://www.abc3340.com/story/23328228/large-commercial-fire-at-scrap-metal-business-in-north-birmingham

August 28, 2013: Waterloo, ID, USA (MetalX)
http://www.wane.com/news/local/fire-breaks-out-at-scrap-metal-yard-in-waterloo
http://www.news-sentinel.com/article/2013130839974

August 24, 2013: ?? Johnston County, NC, USA (??)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lgPGw9Nnjuc

* August 20, 2013: New Jersey City, NJ, USA (Sims Metal)
* http://www.nj.com/hudson/index.ssf/2013/08/plant_involved_in_large_fire_tried_to_handle_fire_themselves_jersey_city_mayor_says.html
* http://gothamist.com/2013/08/20/video_huge_fire_rages_at_nj_recycli.php

August 18, 2013: Johnston, RI, USA (Schnitzer Steel)
http://www.providencejournal.com/news/police-fire/20130818-thick-toxic-gray-smoke-coming-from-fire-at-johnston-metals-recycling-plant.ece

July 17, 2013: East Pembroke, Corfu, NY, USA (Ed Arnold Scrap Metal Processors)
http://thebatavian.com/howard-owens/photos-scrap-metal-fire-ed-arnolds-corfu/38502

June 27, 2013: Fond du Lac, WI, USA (Sadoff Iron and Metal)
http://www.fox11online.com/news/local/fox-cities/scrap-metal-sparks-manufacturing-plant-fire

* June 12, 2013: Smethwick, Birmingham, UK (Sims Metal) {Sixth fire here!}
* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-birmingham-22873267
* http://www.birminghammail.co.uk/news/local-news/smethwick-fire-500-tonnes-metal-4305911
* http://www.expressandstar.com/news/2013/06/12/huge-fire-hits-smethwick-scrapyard/

June 11, 2013: Redding, CA, USA (Bulldog Scrap Metal Recycling)
http://www.krcrtv.com/news/local/fire-sparked-at-redding-scrap-metal-recycling-plant/-/14322302/20529094/-/5mm7paz/-/index.html

May 16, 2013: La Crosse, WI, USA (Alter Metal Recycling)
http://lacrossetribune.com/news/scrap-metal-heap-catches-fire/article_a4dfcf4a-bdd8-11e2-a1d3-001a4bcf887a.html

* May 1, 2013: Long Marston, Warwickshire, UK (Sims Metal)
* http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-22363300

Feb 18, 2013: Tampa, FL, USA (OneSteel Recycling)
http://www.thv11.com/news/article/249335/288/Fire-at-recycling-plant-near-Tampa-burns-for-hours
http://www.wfla.com/story/21230655/fire-at-port-sutton

(some 2012 below this line)

August 12, 2012: Dagenham, East London, UK (Hunts Waste recycling centre)
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2187349/Dagenham-Hundreds-firefighters-tackling-biggest-blaze-London-years-recycling-centre-ignites.html

* June 19, 2012: Fairless Hills, PA, USA (Sims Metal)
* http://www.nbcphiladelphia.com/news/local/Scrap-Metal-Fire-in-Bucks-County--159621065.html
* http://nixle.com/alert/4843152/
* http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news/local&id=8707327

* January 18, 2012: Malaga, Washington, AU (Sims Metal)
* http://www.oneperth.com.au/2012/01/19/second-sims-metal-fire-in-two-weeks/
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Zdu2zmJOg
* http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/second-scrap-metal-fire-breaks-out-at-the-same-company-20120119-1q801.html

* January 13, 2013: Bibra Lake, Cockburn?, Perth, AU (Sims Metal)
* http://www.oneperth.com.au/2012/01/13/dump-fire-breaks-out-in-cockburn/


Misc 2012 scrap fires: https://www.google.com/fusiontables/DataSource?docid=1HdNKYgmrNo-IMEEy1HxvEO0QylN9EIUyZ-TpdIQ#rows:id=1


Bonus Sims Metal links:
http://www.smdailyjournal.com/articles/lnews/2007-04-09/redwood-city-port-fire-contained/73330.html
http://www.wpri.com/target-12/target-12-scrap-pile-blamed-for-damaging-building
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/ee7e51de-bea2-5b90-90d7-80a4ad1d6f59.html
http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/metals/sims-to-review-uk-metal-recycling-operations
http://www.inmycommunity.com.au/news-and-views/local-news/Metals-plant-no-danger/7565895/