A NEWPORT footpath used by school children is to be shut tomorrow after material underneath caught fire.
Officials are to excavate the path to stop the fire tomorrow with residents advised to keep windows and doors closed while the work is underway.
Newport council said unusually high ground temperatures have been recorded in the area of the footpath and reen near Lighthouse Road and Edney View in the Duffryn area of the city.
The reen bank has now been fenced off and the footpath will not be accessible from Thursday onwards, a spokeswoman for the authority said.
Public Health Wales say there is no immediate risk to health and the council says there is no risk of the fire spreading to properties on the estate.
“We are anticipating that the only way to deal with the fire is to excavate the area. This will take place on Friday and into the following week,” the spokeswoman for the council said.
“Lancer’s Way field will be used for the excavation and the public are advised to stay away from the area. At present it is not known how long this will take but there will be regular updates during the excavation period. "
The council has provided a map of alternative routes it has identified to Duffryn High and St Joesph’s RC School.
This map shows the closed yellow route and the recommended alternative blue and red routes:
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