Seattle, Washington – Fire in Encampment

Seattle, Washington (March 23, 2019) – A tent fire broke out on Saturday in the encampment along Nesbit Avenue North, between North 90th Street and North 88th Street. There have been no reported damages or injuries from the fire. While coverage of the incident itself has been minimal, the fire has sparked concerns about camp safety in the area. Seattle police has responded to concerns by performing a clean-up operation, with the Navigation team sent out to clear the burned tent.

The encampment along Nesbit Avenue has been described to be growing after the announcement that Licton Springs Tiny House Village was going to close. Before this particular incident, there have been many complaints about the state of the encampment reaching as far back as when it opened in April 2017.

About Fire

The risk of fire, no matter how small, cannot be underestimated. After all, Washington counts as the 5th state most prone to wildfire from 2017 wildfire risk analysis, and ranks 8th in a 2018 study by number of fires that happened. The National Park service has listed possible causes of accidental fires – unattended campfires, the burning of debris, equipment malfunction, and negligence in discarding cigarette butts, all of which are related to human activities. The use of fire should always be handled with proper consideration, especially when done in areas where fire has the potential to spread, such as in camps, and nature areas. Particular care should be taken when using fire in residential areas as the risk for injuries to other people grow. In any case, everyone should remember to pay attention to any lit fires and to extinguish a fire completely after use. Much like any other type of accident, fires have the potential to cause serious property damage, injuries and death.

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