By SANCHESKA DORSETT

Tribune Staff Reporter

sdorsett@tribunemedia.net

THE thick white smoke that blanketed communities in western and southern New Providence yesterday morning came from a combination of fires including the New Providence Landfill and a large bush fire on Carmichael Road, according to Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett.

In an interview with The Tribune, Mr Dorsett said the fire at the landfill, which has been burning for nearly three weeks, is almost completely extinguished. He said the smoke that continues to remain a problem for persons in Jubliee Gardens and the surrounding areas will be “significantly reduced” today.

Several residents complained about waking up to their homes being filled with smoke early Thursday morning. Due to the smoke in the Carmichael Road area, Sybil Strachan Primary School closed early and allowed students to go home.

While residents in the nearby Tall Pines constituency bore the brunt of the smoke initially, in recent days those across eastern and central areas of New Providence have also complained of unbearable conditions and acrid smoke caused by the ongoing blaze.

“We had a huge fire on Cowpen Road Wednesday, there is still some smoke coming from a ridge at the dump and there is still some smoke coming from the bush fire on Carmichael road, so all of the smoke is not from the dump fire,” Mr Dorsett said on Thursday.

“The wind has shifted that is why you have the smoke travelling from the dump impacting some areas on Fire Trial Road. Essentially from what I was able to glean from my team is that the majority of the fire is out. Firefighters are still working on a ridge that we previously couldn’t get to, that we cannot access.

“So with the additional flights with the company from the United States, we are able to get more access today and get on top of that ridge and be able to out the smoke. The area was challenging for our heavy equipment to access and now we have access. “We are continuing the aerial assault of FireIce and the team has indicated that by the end of the night heading into tomorrow (Friday) there will be a significant reduction of the smoke.

“All things considered, if we continue to have sufficient water and the equipment, by tomorrow there will be significant reduction in the smoke that’s impacting various areas,” he said on Thursday.

On March 5, a massive blaze broke out at the Harrold Road landfill site, blanketing nearby communities, and in particular Jubilee Gardens, in thick, black hazardous smoke and forcing residents in that community to evacuate their homes.

On March 12, Environment Minister Kenred Dorsett said GelTech Solutions, a company that specialises in fighting fires while protecting the environment, has been contracted by the government to assist in extinguishing the massive blaze. He told The Tribune the US-based company, along with Fletcher Air, began dropping FireIce - a firefighting gel - on the sites at the landfill on Sunday, that were either too dangerous or unreachable by firefighters.

There is no definite date set for when Jubilee Gardens residents will be given the all clear to return to their homes, however on Tuesday Tall Pines MP Leslie Miller said 95 per cent of the persons are back home.