Numerous triple zero calls were made just before 5.30pm to alert emergency services to the fire, which was emitting a plume of black smoke from the burning waste.

"You don’t know what’s in the rubbish, it’s full of plastics and toxic waste just from normal household garbage and that can comprise anything; polycarbonates, all sorts of plastics that are very toxic to work in and around," Commander Dannie Camilleri of ACT Fire and Rescue said.

He said an assessment of the smoke concluded there was minimal risk to nearby residents, so no evacuations were made.

The fire was "quite large", with seventeen tankers from ACT Fire & Rescue and the ACT Rural Fire Service on the scene at one stage.

"Because of the size of the fire, we needed to try and surround it and make sure it was contained within the area that was burning … but initially it was confined to 150 metre square area," Commander Camilleri said.

Tip workers assisted in the operation, using bulldozers and earth moving equipment to ensure the fire was completely extinguished.

"Tip fires take a long time to put out and you’ve got to get the heavy machinery in there to turn it over while we put the fire out." Commander Camilleri said.

The smoke over the Tuggeranong area was expected to clear soon after fire crews finished extinguishing the fire.