Multiple emergency services are working to extinguish a massive landfill fire burning at a private recycling facility near Canberra Airport.
The blaze, reported at Canberra Construction Recyclers near Pialligo Avenue about 9pm on July 23, has incinerated a pile of rubbish estimated to be 10 metres high and covering an area of 1600 square metres.
More than a dozen trucks, bulk water containers and heavy machinery have been assigned to the incident involving crews from ACT Fire and Rescue (ACTFR) and ACT Rural Fire Service.
ACTFR Superintendent Sam Evans said rubbish and recycled material fires were difficult to manage but teams were able to bring the blaze under control early.
Air operations at Canberra Airport have not been affected by the incident, he said.
"The fire is burning deep inside the pile, and it will require ongoing operations over certainly today, and we hopefully will have a further result by the end of today," Superintendent Evans said.
He said crews plan to break down the pile into smaller piles and fully saturate the materials.
"There is no ongoing threat of the fire spreading outside of this facility, and not even outside of the footprint of the existing pile," the superintendent said.
ACT emergency services have sought help from the Aviation Rescue Firefighting Service at the airport who provided two aircraft and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (ARPANSA) who captured thermal images of the scene.
An ACT Emergency Services spokeswoman said the crews were working on putting out hotspots and would be expected to remain at the site for the rest of the day.
Superintendent Evans said the operator of the facility was familiar with the contents of the rubbish pile and confirmed there were no hazardous materials in it.
He said the smoke plume from the burning pile was toxic and fortunately, due to good weather conditions, had not spread far.
Residents with respiratory conditions in the area should remain inside and keep their windows and doors shut.
Motorists in westbound lane on Pialligo Avenue will need to slow down near the intersection of Scherger Drive, to protect crews as they use a water source close to the scene.
Transport Canberra personnel at the location are helping to direct traffic.
The cause of the fire is still unknown.
Superintendent Evans said the owners of the business had been helping firefighters suppress the fire and that there was no one at the site when the blaze ignited.
"[Site owners] have supplied plant operators and heavy plant, and part of our operations today to use heavy plant to dismantle the pile to achieve full extinguishment," the superintendent said.
The incident is not the first fire reported at the Pialligo facility, nor the first fire at an ACT recycling facility.
