Fire at Broadlands Road landfill under control but still burning
Taupō District Council’s landfill on Broadlands Road may be closed until Monday as firefighters continue to battle a blaze that started in the early hours of this morning.
Head of operations Kevin Strongman said the alarm was raised by a rescue helicopter flying overhead just after midnight, and at its height the fire covered an area of about 200 metres by 80 metres.
“Because of the nature of landfills, fires can be deep seated and this one could be up to about three metres deep. Helicopters with monsoon buckets have been dumping water on the fire through the night, an excavator has been used to get to the heart of the blaze, and a loader is smothering it with dirt,” he said.
“The crews did an incredible job to contain this fire but it may be some time before it is extinguished completely. We will certainly be keeping a close eye on it over the coming days and weeks.”
Anybody suffering from respiratory conditions should stay indoors and keep their windows closed, if they are concerned about smoke. Recycling due for collection today would be still collected, he said.