Waste landfill fire rages on in Almaty region
A persistent fire at a waste landfill in the Almaty region has entered its fourth day, Kazinform News Agency reports.
According to the Kazakh Ministry of Emergency Situations, firefighters have successfully contained the open flames around the entire perimeter of the landfill.
Efforts to extinguish the solid waste fire continued throughout the night.
It is also stated that a tent camp has been established at the site to provide the necessary conditions for the recovery of rescue personnel. A field kitchen is supplying hot meals and drinking water, while doctors from the Emergency Ministry's Disaster Medicine Center are on standby to provide emergency medical care.
Yerlan Turegeldiyev, Chairman of the Fire Service Committee, previously said that extinguishing the fire is complicated by the unique characteristics of such landfills. Waste is piled up to 10 meters high, causing deep smoldering at the base where oxygen accumulates in the loose soil. The decomposition process generates methane, which continuously fuels the smoldering.
Emergency response teams are employing a method of backfilling the burning areas with inert materials, followed by soil compaction. This technique aims to cut off oxygen supply to the smoldering zones, ensuring the complete extinguishment of the fire.
As earlier reported, authorities in Alatau were preparing to declare a state of emergency.
