A FIRE has broken out at a Fife landfill site just two months after a blaze burnt for more than two weeks at the facility, prompting air quality concerns.
Emergency crews were called to the scene at the Lower Melville Wood Landfill, near Ladybank, with the fire service arriving at around 1.18pm and police arriving at around 1.45pm on Wednesday.
Four firefighting appliances were sent to the scene as well as one high-reach vehicle.
Surrounding roads remain open, but local residents are being advised to keep windows and doors closed and to avoid the area.
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) spokesperson said: “A spokesperson said: "Due to smoke in the area, nearby residents are asked to keep their windows and doors closed as a precaution. There are no reported casualties, and crews remain in attendance."
Police Scotland also released a statement on the incident, saying: “Around 1.45pm on Wednesday, 22 July, 2026, we were called to a report of an ongoing fire at the Lower Melville Wood Landfill site, near Ladybank.
“Emergency services are at the scene.
“Surrounding roads remain open but local residents are being advised to keep windows and doors closed and to avoid the area.”
It follows a previous fire at the site which broke out on May 12 and, at its height, spread over approximately 200m x 300m (656ft x 984ft) of landfill waste. It was described by SFRS as a “complex and protracted incident” due to the “deep-seated nature” of the fire and the volume of material involved.
At the height of the incident, 12 appliances and specialist resources were dealing with the blaze.
An investigation by The National has found that the adjacent landfill site was found to be “major non‑compliant” at its last inspection by Scotland’s environment watchdog.
The agency clarified that these issues are related to the landfill’s operation and are “not directly associated” with the blaze in the separate waste transfer station, which has been sending smoke over nearby communities for over a week.
