Ecco Recycling landfill fire remains under control, says Calgary Fire Department

Calgary fire crews continued suppression operations at the ongoing southeast Calgary Ecco Recycling facility landfill fire.

The fire remains under control and crews are focused on accessing, isolating and extinguishing buried burning materials while maintaining environmental and public safety monitoring, the Calgary Fire Department said in a Sunday update.

“Heavy equipment operators continue building and reinforcing access routes throughout the affected area to safely reach remaining hot spots and areas requiring additional soil cover,” the update said.

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“Overnight, water application was intentionally limited in some locations to allow newly constructed routes to stabilize. These routes are essential for supporting heavy equipment and maintaining access to isolated portions of the site. Excessive water can soften road surfaces, increase erosion and hinder ongoing suppression efforts.”

Fire suppression resources remain on site to monitor areas of elevated heat within the landfill pile, with crews conducting ongoing assessments in the area of an underground utility access point where elevated temperatures have been previously observed.

Improvement in overnight smoke conditions was observed by operational crews, but residents may continue to experience localized smoke and odours as suppression continues.

Some conditions can change while crews excavate and extinguish buried hot spots or while weather conditions change.