Calgary crews hold ECCO landfill fire under control, smoke may persist

The Calgary Fire Department says the ECCO Recycling facility landfill fire in southeast Calgary remains under control as crews work to reach and extinguish buried burning material, according to a city update published Sept. 19.

Crews are focused on accessing, isolating and extinguishing the buried material while environmental and public safety monitoring continues. Heavy equipment operators are building and reinforcing access routes so equipment can reach remaining hot spots and areas that need more soil cover.

Water limited overnight to stabilize routes

Overnight, water application was intentionally limited in some locations so newly built routes could stabilize. The city says excessive water can soften road surfaces, increase erosion and hinder suppression efforts.

Operational crews saw some improvement in smoke conditions overnight. Residents may still experience localized smoke and odours, and conditions can change as crews excavate hot spots and as weather shifts.

Additional truckloads of soil and clay continue to arrive on site. Soil placement helps crews isolate burning material, reduce oxygen flow and minimize the potential for re-ignition, and new soil is being placed where cover material was disturbed during excavation.

Utility structure assessed as precaution

During work near an underground utility access structure, workers reported an unusual odour. The Calgary Fire Department Hazardous Materials Team assessed conditions inside the structure and the surrounding work area as a precaution, and the assessment confirmed conditions were safe.

Residents may continue to see smoke, odours and occasional visible flames as crews expose and extinguish buried burning material. The city says these flare-ups are an expected part of landfill fire suppression and do not indicate worsening conditions.

Alberta Environment and Protected Areas continues air quality monitoring in and around the affected area and surrounding communities. Monitoring equipment remains deployed near the incident to track conditions and help inform public health guidance.

The Calgary Fire Department reminds residents that unauthorized drone activity near emergency operations creates significant safety risks and may interfere with response efforts. Drone operators should stay clear of the incident area and comply with Transport Canada regulations.

More information is available at calgary.ca/landfillfire.