Venice: Fire Engulfs Homeless Camp At Penmar Golf Course

VENICE, CA — A fire broke out at a homeless encampment outside Penmar Golf Course in Venice Monday morning.

The fire happened in the 900 block of Rose Avenue, YoVenice! reports.

Video shows flames engulfing a camp with a large plume of smoke billowing above the trees and neighborhood. It's unclear how the fire started.

Local John Ryan shared an image of the fire with Patch. Ryan says this is the third fire at the location this month.

A petition this spring is pushing to prohibit camping along the area and instead convert it to an accessible walkway. The Rose-Penmar Beautification & Safety Project hopes to "move the jurisdiction of the public walk path on the South Side of Penmar golf course to the Los Angeles Recreation and Parks Department. Once the strip of land’s jurisdiction is changed, it becomes park land and illegal to camp upon. Our community has the right to live in a safe, violence & drug-free neighborhood. "

There's an ongoing debate about access to the area. The group hopes to the city will give the land back to Recreation & Parks to manage the walkway area.

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