Crime & Safety

Brush Fire Burns Through Homeless Camp in Spring Valley

A slow-moving brush fire that may have erupted in a makeshift encampment used by transients blackened about a quarter-acre in an overgrown ravine near Sweetwater Reservoir today, authorities reported.

The blaze, which caused no structural damage or injuries, began spreading shortly before 3:30 a.m. off Quarry Road, near State Route 54 in Spring Valley, according to Cal Fire.

It took about 25 ground personnel roughly 90 minutes to get the flames contained, said Kendal Bortisser, a fire captain with the state agency.

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Investigators were looking into whether the activities of homeless people who frequent the area may have sparked the blaze, Bortisser said.

—City News Service

Find out what's happening in La Mesa-Mount Helixwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

To request removal of your name from an arrest report, submit these required items to arrestreports@patch.com.