Fire at Whitehorse waste facility under control, says city

Crews are expecting to manage spot fires at the waste management facility throughout the day, after a fire started there at 10:22 p.m. on Wednesday night, according to the city.

Crews expecting spot fires throughout day, after fire began Wednesday night

Kirsten Fenn · CBC News ·
The fire started at 10:22 p.m. on Wednesday night in construction and demolition waste, according to the city. (Alexandra Byers/CBC)

Officials say a fire that started Wednesday night at the Whitehorse waste management facility was under control but still burning as of about 7 a.m. Thursday morning.

That's according to Myles Dolphin, the city's acting manager of communications, who said crews were still on site.

The facility is located by Fish Lake Road and the Alaska Highway.

A note posted to the city's Facebook page on Thursday morning states the fire started at 10:22 p.m. on Wednesday night, in the construction and demolition waste.

On Wednesday night, CBC News spotted many fire vehicles on scene and an excavator was working to move unburned areas of the dump.

Trucks were refilling with water and travelling back and forth between the fire site and the Kopper King gas station.

Chris Green, the city's acting fire chief, was on scene.

Volunteer departments from Ibex Valley, Marsh Lake, Golden Horn, Hootalinqua, and Carcross were on scene to help 19 of the city's firefighters, the city's Facebook post states. Cobalt Construction and Castle Rock Enterprises also helped.

Fire officials are expected to manage "spot fires" throughout the day, according to the city.

The cause of the fire is still under investigation.

Dolphin said there are no known injuries.

With files from Alexandra Byers

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