Most of LA's Fires Are Started By Homeless People

More Than Half of Fires in LA at Start of 2021 Related to Homeless Encampments

The data showed 4,240, or 51.18% of fires were flagged as connected to homelessness, compared with 2,331, or 40.93% of fires in 2019. Additionally, the response records revealed a growing number of fires that were considered deliberately set, including arson fires. Some 2,293 fires in 2020 were categorized this way, or 28% of the total. 

That represents a 77% increase in deliberately set fires over 2019, when records listed 1,292 such fires. The arson records also indicated an increase in deliberately set fires within the incidents flagged as related to homelessness. 

There were 1,510 such fires in 2020, a 90% increase over the 791 recorded in 2019. The LA City Fire Department did not immediately respond to requests for comment on why the number of fires have increased. The LA Mayor's Office also did not respond to a request Friday.

Search these maps of LA Fires.