Firefighters were called out to a skip fire on Gays Hill, Helston on Saturday.
Appliances from Helston and Mullion were called out just before 6pm, and on arrival found a large skip filled with rubbish well alight.
A fire service spokesman said: "Firefighters wearing two breathing apparatus used two jets from open water to extinguish the fire. A digger was also used to turn over the rubbish and a hose reel to damp down."
The cause was believed to be accidental.