Six days after a fire broke out at the Navotas sanitary landfill, authorities said Thursday that difficult terrain and tidal conditions are stalling efforts to extinguish the blaze and contain the hazardous smoke affecting nearby cities.

This comes as Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Vince Dizon and Navotas Mayor John Rey Tiangco inspected the 47-hectare facility Thursday morning.

Dizon said the primary challenge is transporting the heavy machinery needed to “smother” the fire, as there is currently no road access to the islet dumpsite.

“The most critical thing right now is bringing in heavy equipment,” Dizon said. Because the site is surrounded by water, dump trucks and bulldozers must be transported by barge, which can only reach the shoreline during high tide.”

The next viable window for transport is expected Saturday.

Following a directive from President Ferdinand Marcos Jr., the DPWH has committed an arsenal of construction equipment — including backhoes, pay loaders, bulldozers and dredgers — to fast-track the operations.

Two bulldozers and a backhoe arrived at 8 a.m. Thursday to begin the “land covering” phase.

Fire officials explained that water is ineffective against this type of deep-seated blaze, which was likely triggered by methane gas buildup.

“Water will not kill this fire; soil will,” Dizon said, noting that crews must cut off the oxygen supply by burying the smoking garbage.

The fire has forced evacuations in several Navotas neighborhoods and parts of Obando, Bulacan, as thick, foul-smelling smoke blankets the region. Residents have been advised to wear N95 masks to protect against the haze, which locals described as smelling like burning rubber and copper.

Meantime, accountability for the incident is now under investigation as an inter-agency task force—including the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Department of Health (DoH)—is reviewing potential violations by PhilEco, the operator of the facility.

Though the landfill was reportedly closed in 2025, Tiangco stressed that operators are legally required to maintain the safety of the site.

“Someone must be held accountable,” Tiangco said.

Authorities have not yet provided a timeline for when the fire will be fully extinguished, stating that an estimate can only be made once all heavy equipment is fully mobilized.

In the meantime, local governments are preventing displaced residents from returning to their homes until a “fire out” is officially declared.