NEW ORLEANS (WVUE) - Currently, crews are battling a fire in Terrebonne Parish. Where a long pipe is pumping 3,000 gallons of water per minute.
Coteau Fire Chief Russell Di Salvo, Jr. said this fire has been off and on since November 28. This is just one of the fires that have impacted the greater New Orleans area in 2023.
“We’ve had a lot of emergencies a lot of challenges.”
In Orleans and Saint John parishes, smoke mixed with fog created deadly road conditions.
Brenda Badon lives in New Orleans East. Badon said the smoke from the fires there tormented her neighborhood.
“I’m just so glad it’s gone,” Badon said. “I couldn’t believe what I saw because it was so thick you know you couldn’t drive.”
Badon said she had bronchitis, making it hard for her to breathe.
New Orleans Fire Department Superintendent Roman Nelson said he’s looking ahead to 2024 by developing ways to respond to marsh fires properly.
“We’re all together just trying to keep the public safe,” Nelson said. “We’re working with our partners in Homeland Security to get the equipment and the resources that we need, as well as our partners with the city, and the region to make sure we have everything we need to deal with those kinds of incidents.
St. Bernard Parish Fire Chief Earl Borden, Jr. said he’s also ahead of the game.
‘We are purchasing some portable pumps that go on boats. That way if this stuff happens in the future, we can get a little further than we normally would,” Borden said.
Nelson and Borden joined other fire chiefs at the New Orleans East Fire Training Center on Friday to show just how fast a Christmas tree can go up in flames.
“We really just don’t want to see a family lose their Christmas celebration. All the presents, all their belongings and God forbid one of their loved ones,” Nelson said.
Firefighters remind you to keep trees away from heat sources, use only approved tree lights, and water the trees regularly.
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