VERMILION PARISH, La. (KLFY) — For the past week authorities have received reports of smoke from a marsh fire spotted near Forked Island.

One month ago today, Governor John Bel Edwards issued a state wide burn ban and declared Louisiana under a state of emergency after a record numbers of wildfires broke out across the state.

The burn ban, which is still in effect, has prohibited the use of open flames and outdoor burning. Because of the burn ban, District Thirteen’s Fire Chief Anthony Langlanias says his department has been called at least five times about the embers and heavy smoke at night.

“We have a couple of businesses in the area that said the embers were flying on their business, on their roofs, on their vehicles and that so,” said Langlanias.

Sandy Touchet with Stelly’s Groceries in Abbeville says the heavy smoke concerns her because it makes it hard for people to see while driving. She says the heavy traffic when it’s dark and smokey could cause and accident.

“The smoke gets really really bad at times. Mostly in the morning hours when I come in here at three-thirty, the parking lot is whited out,” said Touchet. “The traffic does flow at 4 o’clock in the morning past here. And with that thick of smoke, if it doesn’t end soon, we my have an accident.”

Langlanias says he understands the concern about the fire, however there are no structures nearby. He also says there hasn’t been any reports of injuries or damage due to the location of the marsh fire.

“As of now we can just monitor it. And it’s going to have to reach a canal or get close enough to a road way where we can access it,” said Langlanias.

Because it’s so far away, firefighters can not access the area where the fire is but they are constantly monitoring it in case they are able to get to it and put it out.