Three firefighters injured tackling Uikala landfill blaze

A large fire at an Ida-Viru County landfill site which began last week, while under control and nearly extinguished, has taken several days to get to this stage, while three Rescue Board (Päästeamet) personnel have been injured in the course of fighting the blaze.
The fire started at the Uikala Prügila AS garbage facility, near the village of Kukruse. The location has been the site of several fires in the past, and now the Environmental Board (Keskkonnaamet) is scrutinizing the operation of the landfill site more closely.
Given the numerous deficiencies the Environmental Board says it has identified at the Uikala facility in recent years, plans are in place to limit the acceptance of mixed municipal waste, once the current firefighting efforts conclude.
The Uikala landfill takes on garbage from residents of all eight municipalities in Ida-Viru County.
Firefighters continue to work in challenging conditions, which includes uneven terrain, the risk of subsidence, landslides and collapses, and the heat both from the fire and from working in heavy gear in the current hot weather.
The Rescue Board said Monday that five professional teams are working at the scene, split up into two groups and due to continue work through the night.
As of Monday, no visible fires were burning on or near the landfill's surface, while mechanical excavators were digging up smoldering hotspots up to three meters in depth.
These zone were doused by substantial quantities of water, obtained from the Pühajõgi River, over a kilometer away
This main line is set to be dismantled Tuesday, and the gradual packing up process has begun, though the landfill site naturally remains closed.
The Uikala fire is one of several large-scale blazes which have hit Estonia and the surrounding region following the recent weeks of hot, dry weather. The fires are often caused by careless actions in susceptible areas such as forest and bog-land, for instance by driving off-road vehicles in such environments – now currently banned in Ida- and Lääne-Viru counties.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte, Rene Kundla