Balclutha residentshttp://www.channel39.co.nz/node/add/story# were advised to shut their doors and windows against noxious smoke as the town’s landfill went up in flames yesterday morning.
A helicopter with a monsoon bucket was deployed to battle the blaze in a rubbish pile at Mount Cooee landfill, near the Kaitangata highway on the outskirts of Balclutha.
Crews from as far afield as Kaka Point and Waihola turned out to assist firefighters from Balclutha, along with a command unit from Dunedin.
Emergency services say there's no word on the cause of the blaze, and the origin of landfill fires can be difficult to determine.
It took several hours and significant volumes of water to bring the fire under control.
The landfill was opened for business today.
