Plumes of smoky dust billowed over Bahar ic-Caghaq this afternoon as a rubbish fire raged within the Ghallis landfill.

Readers complained that the stench of the fire could be smelt from St Julian’s.

In a statement this evening, WasteServ said that the fire, which developed in a small section of the landfill, was controlled by WasteServ and Civil Protection Department personnel.

It said that while small isolated fires remained there iswas no cause for alarm.

The incidence of landfill fires was not uncommon during dry spells coupled with winds such as those that prevailed in the past hours persisted, it said.