Calgary fire officials say landfill blaze could last months

CALGARY – A stubborn blaze that has been burning for the last 10 days at a Calgary landfill can cover multiple Canadian football fields and take months to fizzle out, the fire service said Wednesday.

Calgary fire Chief Steve Dongworth said the fire at the ECCO Recycling facility in the southeast part of the city has an estimated volume of one million cubic metres.

The fire has also been difficult to tackle as it’s located in deep pockets, he said, and under a mountain of garbage.

“Although we should be able to control smoke from the fire in the next few days, this incident could last weeks or even months until on-site fire risk is fully mitigated,” Dongworth said in a statement.

Firefighters responded to the blaze at ECCO, a private landfill and recycling business, on Sept. 6.

The smoke billowing from the fire has become a nuisance for locals and has prompted a health advisory from the fire service.

One resident has said the smoke has triggered his daughter’s asthma and he is considering temporarily leaving the community.

“Our immediate efforts remain focused on actions that reduce smoke impact on communities,” said Dongorth.

“This includes identifying hot spots, applying water where required and using soil to cap and smother remaining areas of fire.”