In a Haze

Cloud of Smoke from Marsh Fire Continues to Diminish Air Quality

by Raymond Fitch

Crescent City Connection (photo courtesy Leigh C.)

Updated 1:25 p.m.

The rise of the machines may seem imminent, but don’t get out the heavy ammo just yet. The cloud hanging over the city this morning was just our neighborhood marsh fire.

As the swamp fire burning uncontrolled in the marsh of New Orleans East entered its fifth day, the smoke sat over the city this morning, prompting many to wonder if the fire was getting worse.

But, according to the National Weather Service, the sudden cloud gathered because the winds aren’t blowin’.

“Because the winds are pretty light, the smoke is kind of hovering over the new Orleans metro area,” said Danielle Manning, a forecaster with the Service.

Manning said if the wind picks up, the smoke is more likely to disperse into the air, and spread out over a wider area.

Looking toward the Mississippi River from the 21st floor of the Pan Am Building (Photo courtesy Twitter user MandieL)

Still, a National Weather Service map shows the giant plume of smoke from the fire shifting northwest toward Lake Pontchartrain this afternoon, and into the evening. Yesterday, the plume was largely pushing toward the Gulf.

“The plume is big enough that we can see it on satellite,” Manning said.

Visibility has decreased to about 1 mi. at Lakefront Airport, and less than 1 mile in Belle Chasse, Manning said.

Despite the increased smoke in the city, air quality forecasting by the state has remained the same as Monday.

The state Department of Environmental Quality is picking up readings that the pollution levels in the smoke makes it unhealthy for sensitive groups, which include active children, the elderly and people with respiratory diseases. Schools across the city cancelled recess, and other outdoor activities were suspended today. Crews are being dispatched to monitor air quality at more locations, said DEQ spokeswoman Jean Kelly.

"Over the past three days DHH surveillance of five New Orleans and two North Shore area hospitals has shown a slight increase in the number of patients with upper respiratory irritation and asthma problems," according to a state statement. "New Orleans area hospitals saw 12 patients with asthma problems and 31 with upper respiratory tract infection and North Shore hospitals saw 8 patients with asthma problems and 5 patients with upper respiratory tract infections."

The fire is raging on a plot of swamp between Chef Menteur Highway and Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. The area is completely water-locked, and inaccessible to New Orleans Fire Department equipment. Also, firefighters are worried about snakes and gators. Chinaberry and willow trees on the surface of the marsh are feeding the subsurface fire, which is suspected to have been caused by a Thursday night lightning strike. The fire could burn all 2,300 acres in the marshy area before it's extinguished.

Ryan Berni, spokesman for Mayor Mitch Landrieu, said last night that the City is currently estimating the fire will be out within three days, but noted that the timeframe could change. A hard rain is likely to be the best antidote for the blaze, but the forecast calls for little rain until Thursday. To put out the fire before the rain, planes would have to be called in from other states, or the federal government. Da Paper reports Mayor Mitch is meeting with Gov. Bobby Jindal this afternoon to discuss options for dealing with the fire.

The view from 900 Poydras toward Charity Hospital (photo courtesy of Gabriela Magda)

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Arielle Schecter, Laura Cayouette, Laine Kaplan-Levenson, Tristan Bennett, Rachel Dainer-Best, Christopher Herbeck, Kermit M. Mudgeley, Stella Kowalski, Huey P. Long, Hallie Gerard, Mack Walters, Paul McRambles, Erik Carter, Christina LeBlanc, Michael Cohn-Geltner, Jocelyn Buckley, Dave Rosenberg, Tanya Gulliver, Alexander J. Hancock

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In a Haze

Cloud of Smoke from Marsh Fire Continues to Diminish Air Quality

And if it doesn't rain, how

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