Report: Homeless Campers Could Create Devastating Nevada County Wildfire
NEVADA COUNTY (CBS13) — A new report out of Nevada County paints a grim picture for the fire season, warning that homeless campers could create the perfect storm for a catastrophic wildfire.
Deputy fire marshal Terry McMahon says a homeless campsite in Grass Valley surrounded by dry brush is a wildfire waiting to happen.
"Often times the property owners are absentee owners, and so they just don't know what's going on until fire or law enforcement notifies them," he said.
A few months ago, he says a transient's campfire started a blaze that crews quickly put out.
A new report by the Nevada County grand jury says there is a huge concern that illegal campfires in the next few months could easily get out of control.
Charlie English lives up the hill from where the small fire was. He says he's glad to hear police and fire crews are trying to educate the homeless on fire safety.
Transient campfires have done major damage before. In 1988, the 49er Fire was started by a homeless person's illegal campfire. It destroyed hundreds of homes and scorched 52 square miles of land.
While that fire started in the fall, McMahon says the timing doesn't matter now.
"We're experiencing those conditions right now, so as the summer progresses, and things get drier, it's only going to get worse," he said.
