Alameda Homeless Encampment Fire Extinguished By Firefighters

ALAMEDA, CA — A homeless encampment fire in Alameda spread to nearby vegetation on Monday, according to the Alameda Fire Department. No injuries were reported.

The fire broke out around 5:10 p.m. in the 3000 block of Main Street.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

In Alameda County, homelessness has increased dramatically, with a 22 percent rise from 2017 to 2022, which has led to a corresponding increase in fires at encampments.

In July, a homeless encampment fire in Fremont threatened two apartment complexes.

The Alameda Fire Department shared a social media post about Monday's fire. Local residents were quick to react. One man responded, "Just a matter of time that this was going to happen. Maybe City Hall will do something here and clear this area out for good."

While a woman commented, "I’ve always driven by encampments wondering if they’d be easy to catch on fire with all the debris. Glad to see no one was injured and it was contained quickly."

Two months ago, the U.S. Supreme Court gave cities the right to crack down on homeless encampments. Several cities have moved swiftly to remove them, including Berkeley and San Rafael.

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