Residents raise concerns about fires in Sepulveda Basin

San Fernando Valley residents demanded action on the frequent fires in the Sepulveda Basin during a town hall meeting with Los Angeles city officials.

"We're frustrated and we want action," Encino resident Pat Bates said. "We want this to stop."

Bates said fires spark in the Sepulveda Basin at least once a week and have turned much of the land into blackened ash. The Los Angeles Fire Department said homeless people often set fires that get out of control. 

City officials said anywhere between 233 and 275 unhoused people are living in the Sepulveda Basin. Through the first 240 days of the year, LAFD has responded to 254 fires in the area, a vast majority of which "were related to warming fires or rubbish fires," firefighters said during the meeting. 

The department has identified 800 acres classified as priority zones for fire prevention and cleared out brush at the Hjelte Sports Complex. Firefighters also want to create defensible space around neighborhoods and the nearby baseball field. 

"We want to minimize firefighter and public risk," LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said. 

LAFD said it's also working to address the encampments and illegal dumping that contribute to fires. Mayor Karen Bass added that she's "leading a new approach for the Sepulveda Basin to reduce safety threats in the area."

The public safety meeting includes representatives from the Mayor's Office, the LAFD and the Los Angeles Police Department. 

"We want the city to do something about this problem because we're just one bad weather day from this problem exploding and causing all kinds of devastation for the people in this community," Encino City Council President Roy Nwaisser said.