A fire in a used tire facility sent a massive cloud of black of smoke wafting over a town in Quebec's Beauce region last night.

The fire broke out in the recycling yard at around 10:30 p.m. in Beauceville, about 90 kilometres south of Quebec City.

Some 3,000 cubic metres of tires were consumed by the fire, which continued to burn Sunday morning.

The cause of the fire is unknown but authorities are not ruling out arson.

The province's emergency environment response team was sent to the site, as well as mobile lab that measures atmospheric gas.

No evacuations were ordered but residents were asked to shut off their ventilation systems.