The weather causes concerns during Helene's recovery in Augusta

AUGUSTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – As temperatures drop, clearing debris in Helene remains a concern for those still waiting for their homes to be repaired.

We looked at some neighborhoods that are still struggling to recover almost two months after the storm.

We checked several neighborhoods in Richmond County. On Fairfield Drive, debris was piled higher than the average person, causing residents to worry about the well-being of the neighborhood.

“It looks the same, and I’m okay with it, but most of my neighbors aren’t,” said Ed Rice, who lives on Fairfield Drive.

Rice says it’s been going on for almost two months, and he sees the same problems looming over his neighborhood.

“I couldn’t leave Fairfield Drive for several weeks. The piles of logs were so high you couldn’t see down Walton Way,” Rice said.

Others say they are concerned about deteriorating temperatures and weather as work to make home repairs heads into the new year.

Jennifer Ellis, who lives on West Hills, said, “We need a brand new roof, and it’s just hard to even get people outside and looking at the roof. You can’t even see my front yard, and it’s going to be in a place where squirrels and all kinds of things live there too.”

All this with an unclear plan for the cleanup is causing frustration, especially in communities off the main roads.

“It would be better for us to know what the city’s plans are, as far as strategically, what the next neighborhoods are like, how they plan them,” Ellis said.

High winds from the remains of Helene could cause power outages.

Rice said, “The neighbors were very sad because we hadn’t seen the city, the county or the state for weeks. I don’t know what the current status is, but people were disappointed.”

Crews have collected more than a million cubic yards of debris in Richmond County.

Residents say they see the progress. But now that it seems to be getting colder, they want to get a better idea of what’s to come.

“I also think there is still a lot of work to be done, and that communication from the city would also be better,” Ellis said.

It’s quite a job to get everything cleaned up.

With days shorter, residents have increased safety concerns in areas with accumulated debris and limited street lighting.