SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As the winter nights grow colder and storms pass through Sacramento, many people experiencing homelessness start fires to stay warm, but there’s growing concern over these fires getting out of control and potentially causing damage.
Sacramento Metro Fire Captain Parker Wilbourn says it’s an issue departments across the region have dealt with for years.
"Over the course of the last year we’ve had upwards of 2,000 fires related directly to the homeless population. That’s a challenge for us. It ties up our resources, our fire engines, our crews that have to go out and put these fires out," said Wilbourn. "These are nuisance fires, they are preventable fires and many of these fires have grown into fire with major devastations."
Both Sacramento County and city officials have opened warming centers for the unhoused on cold nights, but homeless advocate Bob Erlenbusch says there are simply not enough beds.
"Homelessness in the Sacramento region has increased 156% but seasonal beds that are reported by Sacramento Steps Forward have decreased 56%," said Erlenbusch.
Erlenbusch says he’d like to see the warming centers stay open, and city and county officials distribute personal warming devices to the unhoused to prevent fires from needing to be lit in the first place.
Homeless advocates would like Sacramento to consider a proposal similar to one in front of the Denver city council right now that prohibits sweeps when temperatures are below freezing.
