COEUR d'ALENE — Kootenai County is in a heavyweight battle.

The solid waste transfer stations in Coeur d'Alene and Post Falls received about 700 tons of wood waste during the first three days after the crippling wind storm Tuesday that knocked down numerous trees.

"We're expecting this weekend to also be really busy so we're asking people to be as patient as they have been," said Cathy Mayer, the county's solid waste director. "We've had so much traffic that you couldn't hardly drive into the site at times."

Mayer said she's counted wood waste being dropped off from as many as 17 vehicles at once in Coeur d'Alene and another 10 waiting in line.

To handle the onslaught, the county has shifted some employees from its landfill south of Coeur d'Alene to assist and a second area for solely wood waste was created in Coeur d'Alene. The pile dwarfed the people unloading the debris and their vehicles.

"Usually it's just leaves coming in this time of year," Mayer said.

Matt Perkins, who works at the Coeur d'Alene transfer station, called the amount of wood waste crossing the scales at the station "absolutely insane."

"We've been stacked up all day long," he said.

Mayer said contractor crews will be grinding the wood in the evenings next week to handle the volume, so neighbors may hear the noise. Generally, the grinding is limited to once a month or even once every other month during the days in the winter.

Mayer said if the pace continues, the grinding cost could reach $30,000.

Mayer said the county will seek federal funding assistance with unanticipated costs such as overtime and extra grinding associated with the storm's aftermath under a disaster declaration declared by county commissioners on Thursday.

Mayer said she expects more of the same craziness this weekend — or maybe even worse — as many people are off of work and they're wanting to get their properties cleaned up before Thanksgiving.

"Hopefully people can continue to be patient," she said.

Kootenai County residents can also burn their wood waste, although the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality urges folks to take it to the transfer stations, if possible, so the area can maintain quality air. Prior to the storm, many people were burning yard waste due to holding off during the burn ban from this summer's wildfire season.

Ralph Paul, IDEQ's airshed coordinator, said open burning is not allowed this weekend in Shoshone or Benewah counties due to poor air quality in those areas.

Mark Boyle, IDEQ's air quality manager, said if people burn in Kootenai County, they are encouraged to burn small piles between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.

"Don't start the fire too early (in the day)," Boyle said. "You want to make sure the smoke can get up and ventilate out so you don't smoke out your neighbors."