Homeless encampment concerns after Fairmount Fire

SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — People living in last week’s Fairmount Fire area are thankful the winds were calm, especially since Santa Ana winds are forecast for later this week.
A San Diego Fire Rescue spokesperson said the fire was contained on Monday at one hundred percent, but the cause was under investigation.
James Dalessio has lived in Talmadge Estates for thirty years. He and his wife were heading home Thursday afternoon when they saw the fire from the freeway.
“There was a wall of flames, and the smoke was billowing, and it was sort of burning, looked like the northeast,” said Dalessio.
“I took pictures, and it was just very chilling. A lot of our neighbors were starting to realize there was going to be a significant problem here,” said Dalessio.
He said the fire department response was impressive.
“We should have lost our house. There’s not reason for them to have been able to save these homes,” said Dalessio.
Firefighters saved every home, but the flames reached Dalessio’s doorstep.
“The fire came so close it actually burned our welcoming mat, which is sobering,” said Dalessio.
Crews aggressively attacked the fast-moving fire with three hundred firefighters on the ground and six different aircraft. In the end, only a handful of homes had minor damage. But many residents say it never should have happened.
Julie Hamilton is the President of the College Area Community Council.
“We have been raising the issue and raising the concern with that particular canyon and those particular palm trees in an encampment down there for years,” said Hamilton.
The cause of the fire is under investigation, but the fire department says it started in or very close to a homeless encampment.
What was an encampment off of Montezuma is now a charred hillside with scorched palm trees.
“This particular area was an extreme danger. It was at the bottom of a canyon with heavily populated areas on either side of the road, and all it took was a little wind blowing one palm frond, and it was on the other side of Montezuma,” said Hamilton.
Mayor Todd Gloria says this is another reason he pushed for the unsafe camping ordinance last year.
“The City of San Diego works on encampment abatements every single day.
Working with Chief Wahl, we recently dramatically increased the number of officers that are working to do that work because the need is there,” said Mayor Gloria.
And so is the concern, especially with Santa Ana winds forecast for later this week. But for now, residents like Dalessio are thankful.
“Just a huge debt of gratitude to these people that risked their lives,” he said.
A spokesperson for the city sent ABC 10News the following statement:
The cause of the fire is still under investigation. The City has addressed unsafe encampments in this area and will continue working with residents and private property owners to do so. The City removes encampments in the public right-of-way, but a significant portion of property in this area is privately owned. The City cannot enter private property to remove waste or encampments. Code officers have been and will continue communicating with property owners to address concerns, and if needed, issue citations to ensure compliance.
This is a regular patrol and enforcement area for the San Diego Police Department’s Neighborhood Policing Division (NPD). NPD works closely with the City’s Environmental Services Department to respond to reports, offer available services to individuals and remove trash/debris through abatements on City property.
Property owners can request a
(Trespass Arrest Authorization) to allow SDPD to enforce trespassing on private property without the owner’s consent or without lawful purpose.