[StBernard] Fire Department Battles Numerous Debris Fires

[Westley Annis]

Fire Department Battles Numerous Debris Fires 

April 3 , 2006

By: Steve Cannizaro


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Fire Department battling numerous fires set in piles of debris and marsh
grass 
 

St. Bernard Parish Fire Chief Thomas Stone said he understands people are
frustrated over piles of debris on roadways caused by a state delay in
sending money to re-start roadside collection, but he said Fire Department
officials can't tolerate the dangerous practice of setting fire to the piles
and said arrests will be made if possible. 
 
Parish firefighters have exhausted themselves putting out more than 20 fires
that were mostly intentionally set, in piles of storm debris and marsh
grass, since Thursday, March 31, Stone said, He that some blazes have
already damaged foundations on nearby homes in the eastern part of the
parish and are endangering the firefighters who have to put them out.
Helicopters have been brought in to help with the blazes. 
 
All fires were out by Monday afternoon and no arrests have been in the
blazes, which stretched from Chalmette in the western end of the parish to
Violet, Florissant and Delacroix Highway in the eastern parts. 
 
"People need to realize they are making a huge mistake by lighting debris in
these dry conditions,'' in which it has hardly rained in more than a month,
Stone said. There are numerous FEMA trailers in areas near where fires have
been set and the potential exists for spreading to these residences, he
said, 
 
The fires make air quality worse, are taxing the manpower of the Fire
Department and carry the risk of endangering firefighters or residents of a
FEMA trailer, Stone said. 
 
If caught, a person who sets a fire that spreads to a FEMA trailer would be
booked with damaging federal property and arson, he said. 
 
Stone said anyone with information about who has set fires should call the
Fire Department at (504) 278-4477. 
 
Pickup of storm debris could resume this week in St. Bernard Parish, parish
officials and contractors have said. Pickup was halted March 11 after state
government said they needed to clarify paperwork involving use of money
previously given to St. Bernard Parish before money released by FEMA to
reimburse contractors could be sent to the parish. Bu the state said last
week the paperwork had been clarified and some $23 million was to be cleared
to come to St. Bernard, but hadn't been received by Monday. 
 
Contractors said they could resume debris collection 48 hours after the
money is received. 
 
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