Birds fly behind the equipment where methane gas is collected from the capped landfill and burned off Thursday at the Hatch Hill landfill in Augusta.

Lane Gould checks the gauges on the methane equipment Thursday at the Hatch Hill landfill in Augusta.

This panel monitors levels as methane is collected from the capped landfill and burned off Thursday at the Hatch Hill landfill in Augusta.

Ripples in the air show the invisible flame as methane, collected from the capped landfill, is burned off Thursday at the Hatch Hill landfill in Augusta.