Special alert raised as firefighters keep tackling huge overnight blaze near Prague

UPDATE: As of 4 p.m. Friday, the fire was extinguished in full after burning for nearly four days. Firefighters and heavy equipment are now leaving the site, with cleanup expected to finish by evening. Though no crews will remain onsite, a week-long surveillance period has been ordered due to ongoing risks. The cause of the fire has not yet been determined.

UPDATE: As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, the fire was extinguished. Due to the blaze, there was a strong smell in the area, and according to the Central Bohemian Region, residents of two dozen municipalities should not ventilate. However, there is no danger to people yet. Authorities are continuously monitoring air-quality levels, which have not reached a hazardous level yet.

A large-scale fire at a bulk plastic landfill between Rynholec and Lány in the Rakovník region (Central Bohemia), around a 40-minute drive from Prague, continues to burn. This has prompted a massive emergency response and deployment of specialized firefighting equipment.

The fire, reported at 6:38 p.m. Monday, has engulfed an area measuring 200 by 200 meters, with the plastic piles standing roughly five meters high. A special level of alert remains in effect as more than 250 firefighters work to contain the blaze.

Fire department spokesman Jan Sýkora said the fire is currently not spreading beyond the original containment zone. “We’re keeping it where we want to keep it.” Overnight, teams filled the gap between burning piles with foam, successfully preventing further spread.

However, efforts to extinguish the flames have proven difficult due to the extreme heat generated by the burning plastics. “The pile of plastic is currently unextinguishable. No matter how much water we add, it evaporates before reaching the fire,” Sýkora explained.

Extreme temperatures at the site have taken a toll on emergency responders. Fifteen firefighters required medical treatment, primarily for overheating. One suffered minor burns on his shoulders, likely caused by trapped steam, according to emergency service spokeswoman Monika Nováková. “No one was hospitalized. All are in minor condition,” she said.

“Because the temperature around you is high, you don't feel anything. You only find out that you have been burned after some time," firefighters described.

To combat the blaze, crews are using over 100 pieces of equipment, including a CV 40 Taurus tanker, a CZS 40 Titan, and various excavators and loaders. A tracked excavator and remote-controlled loader from Hlučín have been deployed to safely navigate and access high-risk areas.

Sýkora noted that the fire spread quickly due to the material’s exposure to oxygen and vertical storage. “There were not enough resources at the scene initially. The operations center escalated the alarm level even before the first unit arrived,” he said.

Residents in nearby villages reported strong odors drifting over 10 kilometers from the site. While chemical testing has not detected hazardous substances in the air, municipalities in Rynholec and Lány advised residents to avoid ventilating their homes as a precaution.