Bryan Declares State of Emergency in Response to Bovoni Landfill Fire

Gov. Albert Bryan Jr. has issued an Executive Order declaring a State of Emergency throughout the U.S. Virgin Islands in response to the ongoing fire at the Bovoni landfill on St. Thomas, Government House announced Tuesday evening.

Smoke from the fire, which has been burning since Sept. 14, can be seen and smelled for miles and the resulting poor air quality has caused schools and businesses to close, the release said.

“The fire is not sustainably contained and external assistance is required to extinguish the flames below the surface of the green waste area of the Bovoni landfill,” it said. “Immediate action must be taken to secure the necessary support to extinguish the fire, including coordination of firefighting assistance through the Emergency Management Assistance Compact.”

The compact, which is law in all 50 states and the nation’s territories, offers assistance during governor-declared states of emergency or disaster through a system that allows states to send personnel, equipment, and commodities to assist with response and recovery efforts in other states, according to the EMAC website.