Imagine a column of trash the size of a football field reaching more than a mile into the sky. That's how much debris the deadly tornadoes that struck Alabama in April left behind, according to estimates.
The 64 twisters left more than 10 million cubic yards of smashed homes, buildings, vehicles and trees in the state, according to the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Cleanup crews have removed more than 4.3 million cubic yards of debris from the storms, which killed 238 people, FEMA says.
The Army Corps of Engineers is coordinating debris removal. The corps is encouraging people to sort debris into categories as much as possible so materials can be handled properly and some recycled.
Crews either burn or chip trees and shrubs; construction debris is hauled to licensed landfills; and hazardous materials are taken to facilities designed to handle them.