Crews tackle large waste fire at landfill site
23/04/2026
Firefighters from across the county rushed to a large fire in East Cambridgeshire on Wednesday.
Having been alerted just after 3pm, around 30 firefighters from several stations attended the fire at a landfill site in Wilburton. They arrived to find a well-developed fire involving around 2,000 square metres of refuse, with thick smoke seen from miles away.
Fire crews from Ely, Cottenham, Littleport, Cambridge, Chatteris and Soham, along with the water carrier from Ramsey, attended the scene.
Station Commander Andy Hill, one of the officers in charge of the incident, said: "After being alerted about the fire our Control operators sent two fire engines and our water carrier immediately to the scene, as we know the water supply to the site is a significant issue.
"The initial crews worked hard to try and contain the fire but quickly requested more fire engines to assist, not only for water but for the firefighters to try and tackle the fire from multiple places. Throughout the night they have worked hard and made progress with this deep-seated fire."
As the evening went on, further crews attended to continue tackling the fire, including firefighters from Gamlingay, Huntingdon, March, Cambourne, St Ives, and Burwell, as well as a water carrier from Kempston in neighbouring Bedfordshire.
Andy added: “We are expecting to be on scene for the remainder of Thursday and specialist advisors, heavy machinery and equipment have been brought in to bring this incident to a conclusion. The cause is not yet been determined and a fire investigation is underway.
“Residents in the area are advised to keep their doors and windows closed as a precaution, as the firefighting activity will continue to generated smoke. Also check your travel routes as there is a road closure in the area.”
Further updates on the incidents will be posted on our incident feed.
Most of the firefighters that attended this incident were on-call firefighters, who respond when they are needed to emergencies around their other commitments. They will attend incidents in their local area, or as part of a wider response to larger incidents like this fire in Wilburton.
To be an on-call firefighter you need to be within five minutes of your local fire station, either while at work or at home, and have a good general level of fitness. We are actively recruiting more on-call firefighters at stations around the county, so if you can respond to emergencies and help your local community, visit our Careers section.
