Barbados Today

NASSAU – Firefighters are battling two “very large” bush fires in New Providence on Friday that are producing large plumes of thick, black smoke over surrounding communities.

Fire Chief Superintendent Walter Evans said the latest fire, in the Grey Terrance off Bernard Road, is threatening homes in the immediate area and also releasing harmful emissions into the air.

He said three firetrucks have been deployed to the area, which was being used as a dumping ground, to battle the blaze.

“This is not the first time we have had to fight a fire in this area,” Superintendent Evans said.

“It is a very large area that people have been using to dump derelict vehicles and old furniture and stuff and it got worse after the storm, persons began dumping old trees and things there. A number of homes in the general area are being threatened but its the smoke we are more worried about. There is a lot of smoke and we are trying to suppress it before it has a serious effect on the residents.”

Meanwhile, Superintendent Evans said firefighters are continuing to battle a blaze in the Lyford Cay area and have now carved a temporary path in order to reach the blaze, which is burning a few hundred feet into the bushes.

He reiterated that, at this time, the fire poses no immediate threat to nearby homes in the Lyford Cay area and surrounding western New Providence communities.

Superintendent Evans said he hopes, now that a path to the fire has been created by heavy duty machines, the fire can be extinguished “very soon”.

He is asking residents in the area to be patient, as his team attempts to put out the blaze. The fire has been burning for three days.

On Thursday, Superintendent Evans said the only threat to residents in the area is the smoke; however, because of wind shift, he said that issue will also subside.

Residents of Lyford Cay and nearby communities reported on Wednesday evening that the air was thick with drifting smoke from the fire, which appeared to be emanating from somewhere behind the Old Fort Bay shopping centre.