Katherine Council slammed over massive tyre fire which is expected to cost over $500K

THE bill to clean up a huge tyre fire that left Katherine covered in smoke last Territory Day is expected to cost more than $500,000, according to Mayor Fay Miller

Close to 300 tonnes of old tyres illegally stored next to the Katherine Showgrounds went up in flames on Territory Day last year. Picture: NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services

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THE bill to clean up a huge tyre fire that left Katherine covered in smoke on Territory Day last year is expected to cost more than $500,000, says Mayor Fay Miller.

It comes as NT Environment Protection Authority’s investigation found that Katherine Town Council illegally stored almost 300 tonnes of tyres that went up in a fire near the Katherine Showgrounds on July 1, 2019.

The NT EPA found close to 300 tonnes of old tyres had been illegally stored next to the Katherine Showgrounds. Picture: EPA

Katherine council has now entered into a performance agreement with the EPA for council to finance major environmental works.

They include a new air monitoring station in town, implementing a kerbside recycling service and signing up to an extensive waste management strategy within three months.

NT EPA chairman Dr Paul Vogel said the implementation of the performance agreement rather than pursuing a prosecution would provide long term benefits for Katherine’s residents.

“Katherine Town Council has already spent considerable sums of money and will need to spend more to continue the clean-up from the waste tyre fire,” he said.

The remains of the tyre bale wall. Picture: EPA

Mayor Fay Miller said council was confident they could meet these conditions on time.

“We’ve taken some of the contaminated remains of the fire to Shoal Bay but they can’t take any more so we will need to build a cell ourselves to take care of what’s left,” she said.

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She said she expects the total cost of last year’s Territory Day fire to exceed $500,000.

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