Mostar landfill blaze triggers emergency measures

A large fire broke out on Monday morning at the Uborak waste landfill on the outskirts of Mostar, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The blaze destroyed recycling facilities, damaged equipment and generated dense, toxic smoke that spread across the city. Mayor Mario Kordić declared an extraordinary state and ordered civil‑protection authorities to issue mandatory health warnings. All available services – fire brigades, police, ambulance, the Armed Forces of Bosnia and Herzegovina and an air‑tractor aircraft – were deployed to contain the fire, which was later localized and kept from spreading beyond the landfill.

Air‑quality monitoring showed a PM2.5 index of 210, classified as “very unhealthy”. Residents, especially children, elderly, pregnant women and people with respiratory or cardiovascular conditions, were advised to stay indoors, close windows and avoid using open water sources. Authorities began filling the burning area with sand and gravel, set up a temporary waste‑transfer station in Vrapčići and arranged for the removal of mixed waste to other facilities. The mayor rejected claims of a pending methane explosion, citing expert assessments that the fire was confined to the newer part of the landfill. Ongoing monitoring of air quality and soil contamination has been ordered, and a mobile laboratory will collect data near the site.