Iqaluit dump fire fumes may be toxic to some

Smoke from an ongoing fire at the Iqaluit landfill could be toxic and dangerous to at least some people,Nunavut's chief medical officer says.

In a release issued late Monday, Dr. Isaac Sobol warned people in Iqaluit not to stay in any area where there is a distinct smell from the dump fire or its smoke.

"Due to the fact that the materials in the dump are varied and may well result in toxic fumes which could be hazardous to human health, I would recommend that persons not enter or remain in an area in which there is a distinct odour from the fumes [or] fire, or in which there is obviously smoke from the fire in the immediate area," the release stated in part.

Could burn for months

The fire began lastFriday morning in a large mound of construction debris at the landfill site. Fire crews worked non-stop until Saturday to stop the fire from spreading.

Winds have kept the acrid smoke away from the city since the fire began, but fire Chief Walter Oliver said Mondayit couldburn for months.

Sobol said it's not known where the smoke or fumes could end up as the fire continues to burn, adding that the smoke may already be having an impact on nearby Sylvia Grinnell Territorial Park.

"There is no means for establishing the levels of toxicity resulting from exposure to the fumes or smoke, and so my recommendation applies to all persons, regardless of their current state of health," Sobolsaid in the release.

Most people not at risk

At the same time, Sobol played down the fire's health risk for most Iqaluit residents, saying he does not expect the smoke to have any negative long-lasting effects on human health.

"Those precautions I would urge would be taken for people who have severe asthma or severe respiratory problems," Sobol told CBC News after the health advisory was issued.

"I would just advise them to reduce their level of physical exertion outside. And also, if they're inside, they might want to close their windows to reduce the exposure to the smoke or any of the matter coming off of that fire."

Employers are being advised to call the Workplace Safety Compensation Commission of the N.W.T. and Nunavut if they are concerned about employees working in an affected area.