Fires that start in Los Angeles' homeless encampments pose a serious safety threat because they often spread to nearby apartments, homes, businesses and other buildings.
The map above, illustrating fires that started at homeless encampments in 2018, shows just how widespread the problem is in Los Angeles County. You can zoom in on the map to see how big the problem is in your neighborhood or near where you work.
The I-Team has been tracking the number of homeless fires the last two years. Data for 2018 shows a 211 percent increase in the number of these fires from the previous year. LA firefighters are now extinguishing almost seven fires a day started at homeless encampments or tents in neighborhoods across the city.
Using open flames in public spaces, like encampments, violates the fire code. But the LAPD tells the I-Team it has issued just seven citations for these violations in 2019, even though our cameras have observed hundreds of open fires around tents in LA.
Click here for the I-Team's full report from July 2019.
