Calgary crews expand clay cover at ECCO landfill fire

Suppression efforts at the ECCO landfill fire in southeast Calgary continue to make steady progress, with crews focusing on reducing remaining hot spots and expanding the use of compacted soil and clay across affected areas of the site, the City of Calgary said in an update published Sept. 23.

Clean fill is being delivered to the site as crews place and compact material over areas affected by the fire. Fire breaks are also being made by removing debris, flattening and compacting the area, then spreading clean fill in unaffected areas to prevent fires from spreading.

Compaction work targets heat pathways

An excavator equipped with a tamping attachment is being used to increase compaction on portions of the pile, helping reduce pathways that allow heat, smoke and air to move through the material. Specialized contractors remained on site that day monitoring conditions and addressing isolated hot spots.

While overall fire activity has decreased in recent days, crews continue to closely monitor areas where residual heat remains and respond to changing conditions as required, the city said.

Air quality monitoring continues

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas continue environmental and air quality monitoring related to the incident. Recent monitoring has generally identified low-risk air quality conditions in surrounding communities, and monitoring resources remain available should conditions change.

Residents can continue to monitor current air quality conditions through Alberta's Air Quality Health Index and provincial incident monitoring updates. The latest information, frequently asked questions and previous updates are available at calgary.ca/landfillfire.