Navotas landfill fire 80% contained, but full suppression still uncertain — officials

The fire at a sanitary landfill in Navotas is now about 80 percent contained, authorities said, as government agencies and foreign disaster experts continue efforts to fully extinguish the blaze that has burned for weeks.

Officials overseeing the response credited coordinated action among national and local agencies, as well as international technical assistance from the United States and Japan, for the significant progress.

“Almost 80% na nawalang apoy at sunog. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin tayo sa ating ginagawa,”Navotas Mayor John Rey Tanco said during a press briefing with the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA).

He emphasized that containment does not mean the operation is complete, noting that underground fires and hotspots remain a concern in the 44-hectare site.

“Kahit malapit na maubos ang apoy at usok, hindi naman dyan natatapos,” he said.

The response has drawn technical expertise from abroad after the Department of National Defense requested support from partner countries.

Officials confirmed assistance from the United States Forest Service and Japan’s disaster response teams, including the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and experts from the Japan Disaster Relief Team.

“Ito ay dahil sa sulat ng ating Secretary of National Defense na humingi ng technical assistance sa USA and Japan para sa agarang pag-suppress ng fire sa sanitary landfill,” an official said.

Around 200 personnel have reportedly been deployed daily under extreme heat and hazardous conditions, particularly due to shifting wind direction and unstable terrain.

Despite progress, officials cautioned that full extinguishment remains dependent on environmental factors such as wind direction and underground heat pockets, which can reignite buried waste.

Beyond immediate suppression, authorities said the incident underscores the need for stronger landfill governance and disaster preparedness systems nationwide.

They added that lessons from the Navotas fire could be applied to other landfill sites in Metro Manila and nearby provinces, including Rizal.

“So kung ano ang pinakamalaking disaster risk sa LGUs natin para bago pa man ito mangyari ay prepared na tayo. At sa ilalim naman ng batas ng disaster risk doctrine and management may pondo inilalaan sa atin for pre-disaster preparedness,” they said.