Compost fire smoulders for 10 days as smoke spreads up to 20km away

A massive compost fire in Cape Town’s Philippi area continues to burn after 10 days, with smoke drifting as far as Goodwood, which is 20km away, and affecting residents across the city.

The fire at Sonnestraal Farm on Olieboom Road was first reported at approximately 11:40 on Saturday, 7 March, according to the City of Cape Town. Despite round-the-clock firefighting efforts, the blaze remains active with no definitive timeline for when it will be fully extinguished.

Smoke reaches distant suburbs

City councillor Elton Jansen, in whose ward the fire is situated, told a subcouncil meeting on Monday 16 March that there were reports of smoke from suburbs up to 20km away.

According to a media release by the City on Wednesday 18 March, the compost heap is roughly the size of two rugby fields and stands three to four metres high.

“The incident lasted for more than four days, and they are still busy with it,” Jansen said during the meeting, referring to the original blaze which had pillars of smoke rising into the sky visible across large portions of the city.

“The smoke carried as far as Goodwood,” Jansen added.

Mayco Member for Safety and Security, JP Smith, said in a video on social media that the heap has proved challenging to extinguish due to temperatures exceeding 500°C at its core.

Massive response effort

Fire and rescue teams have maintained a 24-hour presence at the site since the fire began. Firefighting efforts have included the deployment of more than four fire engines, two helicopters that have made 88 water drops, and crews rotating every 12 hours.

“We had two choppers in the air. We had more than four or five fire engines deployed, and they were working around the clock,” Jansen said, praising the response efforts.

The landowner has provided front-end loaders and access to a dam to ensure constant water supply. The loaders are being used to remove sections of the heap so firefighters can reach the fire’s core.

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Smith said in his video that the choppers’ water drops on the core had helped to lower the temperature to 200°C and had been key in helping to keep the fire under control.

“The source of the heat is buried below 6m of mulch,” Smith explained, adding that due to the scale and density of the material, the fire source was “largely inaccessible”.

Dousing the fire completely is proving extremely difficult due to water being unable to penetrate deep enough into the mound.

“While we have been successful at keeping the top layer damp, as the water sinks lower within the mound, it quickly evaporates due to the heat source within,” Smith said.

Air quality concerns

The City’s Air Quality Management office has been monitoring conditions across Cape Town. While particulate matter levels have decreased since the fire started, residents in affected areas continue to report smoke.

The City says pollution levels remain within acceptable standards, but residents with underlying health conditions are advised to stay indoors when smoke is present and keep windows and doors closed.

The fire is believed to have started through spontaneous combustion from decomposing organic material. Similar to veld fires, the smoke comes from plant-based material and is unlikely to contain harmful man-made chemicals.

Residents can check real-time air quality information through the South African Air Quality Information System app, available free on iOS and Android.