Due to the growth of the number of solid municipal waste landfills and in case of ignition, the issue of prevention and elimination of fires is extremely crucial. The study aims to the discuss possibilities of a comprehensive solution for the problem of managing environmental risks of solid municipal waste landfills near urbanized areas, which are caused by frequent fires in waste layers. Based on the systemic approach principles, environmental risk assessment and management methods have been applied, including the method of geo-ecological zoning and geo-ecological mapping of landfills; the fire equipment used for fire-extinguishing in waste layers has been upgraded as well. To reach the goal of the study, the work is to be implemented in three stages. Within the first stage, the primary identification of environmental risks of landfills occurring due to various causes is advisable. Within the second stage, in accordance with numerical values of physical and chemical parameters obtained within the first stage, the established environmental risks are assessed using a number of threshold methods. The potential application of non-threshold assessment methods is conditioned by the content of a number of carcinogenic substances in the waste layer. The third stage is dedicated to the direct extinguishing of fires occurring and developing both on the surface and in shallow depths (up to 10–15 cm) of waste layers. According to the results of the study, one of the modern solutions for the issue is the suggested innovative mechanism of environmental risk management for solid municipal waste landfills based on the example of the Rostov region relying on the application of modern techniques and technologies. This field of scientific research is prospective and of high practical and scientific value.