Fire crews in Rankin Inlet, Nunavut, are working to control a suspicious fire at the community’s landfill that started on Saturday, July 4, 2026, and reignited the next day. Fire Chief Mark Wyatt called the blaze suspicious, and the Rankin Inlet Fire Department is investigating its cause.
The fire broke out around 7 p.m. on Saturday and was nearly out when a second fire started on Sunday in a completely different part of the dump. Chief Wyatt said several people were seen near the landfill before the fire began. “When these things start up that quickly, there’s usually someone involved,” he said, but no further details are available yet.
The Government of Nunavut issued a public health advisory on July 7, 2026, warning residents to minimize smoke exposure. Smoke can irritate eyes, make breathing difficult, and worsen chronic heart and lung diseases. Those at higher risk include Elders, pregnant women, children, and people with respiratory or heart issues.
The landfill has been used for at least 50 years and contains decades of compacted waste, including hazardous items like propane tanks, oil drums, and ammunition. The fire has now spread across the entire dump, and crews have used about 40 truckloads of fill material with another 100 scheduled to smother the flames. The Rankin Inlet Fire Department has 18 members, with 14 responding both days.
This is the second major landfill fire in Nunavut in 2026, following a fire at the Iqaluit dump on July 2. The RCMP is not investigating; the fire department is handling the probe directly.
