Residents across Greater Victoria were left wondering what was behind the thick plumes of smoke visible across the region Saturday night, as social media quickly filled with photos and speculation.
According to the Capital Regional District (CRD), the source was a significant fire at the Hartland Landfill that broke out shortly after 7 p.m. on April 25th.
Fire crews from the Saanich Fire Department responded quickly to the blaze in the active landfilling area of the site, with support from Highlands Fire Rescue, which assisted with water shuttle operations.
Crews worked through the night to bring the fire under control, remaining on scene until it was fully extinguished early Sunday morning, April 26th.
“The CRD thanks the Saanich Fire Department for their swift and effective response,” the regional district said in a statement.
The fire is believed to have been caused by an item within the waste, with early indications pointing to a possible lithium-ion battery as the source.
The scale of the fire was evident to those nearby. Victoria resident Greg Marsh, who was at the scene between 8:30 and 9 p.m., commented on a Victoria Buzz post saying he counted at least a dozen fire trucks responding.
“It was pretty crazy, I could not believe the smoke,” he said. “The smoke plumes were huge, I thought the whole side of the mountain was on fire.”
Reports of heavy smoke came in from across the region, with residents from downtown Victoria to Langford spotting the towering plumes rising into the night sky.
The CRD confirmed that Hartland Landfill is expected to resume regular operations on Monday, April 27th.
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