NEW ORLEANS — Some in New Orleans East are growing concerned about a fire basically in their backyards. Firefighters are working to contain the underground fire in the Maple Ridge subdivision.
Long-term residents said they've never seen a fire in the wooded area behind their homes before.
Our drone video shows the proximity of the fire to these homes.
"I hope they can put it out before that thing blares up before the wintertime and burn our sub-division down," One neighbor said. "You know I love my little neighborhood, I love my little environment but that is very serious what's going on right now."
New Orleans Fire Department Captain Edwin Holmes said the cause is, "An underground fire we believe may have been started by a lightning strike."
He said the dry vegetation is making the fire worse inside the Maple Ridge sub division in New Orleans East, and the wooded environment has made it harder for firefighters to get under control.
"We have been in contact with the property owners to get some type of excavation equipment out here to clear the area so we can get deeper into the wooded area," said Capt. Holmes.
Residents said the fire has been burning for more than a month. They said the smell of smoke is worse in the mornings. One neighbor said her biggest concern is that in this heat the fire could spread and endanger her family's lives.
Connie Smith said she's worried about what she and her family are breathing in.
"The breathing quality, the quality of the air when we wake up in the morning we can smell it, it's not like we can escape it," said Smith.
Meanwhile, around the corner, Robert Roomance is just going about his daily business, telling Eyewitness News, "No, no concerns whatsoever. The fire department looks like its doing its job."
Both said they've never known this land to burn, Roomance saying, "It fills up like a lake when we have a deluge, I am surprised it even got to the point of an underground fire."
While Smith said, "This has never happened in over 35 years we have been back here."
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