Logistics of landfill fire suppression: environmental risks and response optimization

Landfill fires are among the most complex environmental emergencies affecting degraded lands, particularly in urban and peri-urban areas of Ukraine. The combustion of municipal solid waste (MSW) is accompanied by the release of toxic gases, persistent organic pollutants, and heavy metals, which leads to soil contamination, vegetation damage, and long-term ecological instability. Unlike short-term atmospheric pollution events, landfill fires often have prolonged and recurrent impacts due to internal smouldering processes and heterogeneous thermal conditions within waste layers. This study examines the environmental risks associated with landfill fires and focuses on the logistical aspects of fire suppression as a key factor in limiting secondary land degradation. The analysis is based on field observations, operational data from emergency response activities, and documented landfill fire events in large Ukrainian cities. Particular attention is paid to internal landfill temperatures, which in subsurface layers may exceed +90 °C, creating conditions for spontaneous ignition and long-lasting smouldering combustion.