Once again a cloud of toxic smoke has hung over Bradford, trapped by the cold and still air above, thanks to a blaze at an illegal tyre dump. This was an environmental calamity just waiting to happen.

Apparently officers from the Environment Agency had warned of the dangers after discovering 12,000 tyres at the Girlington site 18 months ago. However, they could do little apart from keep an eye on things. Because it was on private land, they were unable to order the tyres to be taken away.

It is ridiculous that they are hamstrung in this way. Illegal tyre dumps are a major menace, in Bradford as elsewhere. In themselves they look unsightly, particularly in a district like this which is trying so hard to improve its appearance. They also present a temptation - challenge even - to youngsters to whom arson is "a bit of a laugh".

When this particular dump and another like it were discovered in the summer of 2000, it was revealed that they were the work of cowboy tyre-disposal operators who were offering to get rid of tyres for garages at a fraction of the cost of legal disposal. Garages were at that time urged not to fall for this dangerous practice, which led to the tyres being dumped rather than disposed of.

However, even if garages heeded that advice, the backlog of existing tyre dumps remained and now the worst has happened. It is clearly time the rules were changed so that Environment Agency officials can order the tyres to be taken away and disposed of in the proper manner.