News Release
You are viewing ARCHIVED content published online before January 20, 2025.
Please note that this content is NOT UPDATED, and links may not work. For current information,
visit https://www.nps.gov/aboutus/news/index.htm.

NPS/Brian Aillaud
Subscribe
![]() |
Contact: Death Valley PIO Team
Contact: Abby Wines
Update: As of December 8, some of the chickpeas have sprouted, due to the large amount of water sprayed to supress the truck fire. Park biologists are still not concerned about the non-native plants beoming invasive.DEATH VALLEY, Calif. – A tractor-trailer carrying 44,000 pounds of dried chickpeas burned up in Death Valley National Park on November 21.
“When a commercial truck has a wreck or catches on fire, we worry about what it will release into the park,” said Superintendent Mike Reynolds. “However, there’s very little chance that stray chickpeas not cleaned up will become invasive species in the driest place in North America.”
The truck’s brakes overheated descending Daylight Pass and Mud Canyon Road, which is closed to commercial truck traffic. The truck driver pulled over soon after reaching flat terrain on CA-190.
The National Park Service (NPS) received notification of the fire around 5:30 am. Death Valley National Park, Caltrans, and California Highway Patrol responded. Two Star Towing removed the wreckage and cleaned up the remaining dried chickpeas.

NPS
Tags: vehicle fire
Last updated: December 12, 2024