News

August 18, 2023 | From New Orleans Fire Department

NOFD Firefighters Battle Massive Grassfire Along M.R.G.O. Canal Levee

On Friday, August 18, 2023, at 8:55 a.m. New Orleans Fire Department (NOFD) firefighters were dispatched to a reported grassfire at 7501 Terminal Rd. in New Orleans East. After extinguishing an area of grass along the Mississippi River Gulf Outlet Canal (MRGO) approximately one hundred yards wide and a quarter mile long, firefighters realized that there were patches of grass burning almost a half-mile long along this isolated levee. This prompted a request for a second alarm at 10:46 a.m. The lack of hydrants in the area has forced NOFD Fire Operations personnel to relay water by fire pump from hydrants on Almonaster Ave., almost two miles away.

 

Weeks of hot and dry conditions, limited accessibility to remote terrain and no fixed water supply all contributed to the difficulty of extinguishing such a large grassfire. The Port of New Orlean’s Fireboat, the General Roy. S. Kelley,has been requested to assist with extinguishment. Fireboat Kelly would be able to flow a water stream from the MRGO Canal to areas of the levee that NOFD crews and hose lines are having difficulty accessing. Fourteen NOFD fire apparatuses, supported by forty-two Fire Operations personnel are working to bring this incident under control.

 

911 Call Received:      8:55 a.m.           

1st Alarm:                    8:55 a.m.                           

On Scene:                    9:03 a.m.

2nd Alarm:                   10:46 a.m.                                                        

Under Control:           Still a working incident              

NOFD Personnel:       42          

NOFD Units:                    14          

Cause:                                 Undetermined                 

Injuries:                             None Reported