LA says homeless involved in one-third of fires, one in nine ambulance calls

By Kenneth Schrupp
The Center Square 

One-third of fires responded to by the Los Angeles Fire Department over the last six years involve the homeless, according to a newly released department memo.

The memo found rubbish fires — half of which involve the homeless — became the department’s top service call type in 2024 and said falling LAFD staffing and rising homeless dispatch volume leave the department overextended. 

The report says that while homeless individuals make up just 1.2% of LA’s population, they are responsible for 12% of LAFD emergency medical services incidents and 33% of fires. This means compared to other people in Los Angeles, homeless people are 10 times more likely to use EMS services and 28 times more likely to be “involved” in a fire — all at taxpayers’ expense.

LAFD says it believes these numbers understate the number of homeless-related fires and medical emergencies it responds to, meaning the costs are likely even higher. 

“If anything, this number is undercounted,” wrote LAFD. 

In 2023, an out-of-control underpass blaze shut down the I-10 freeway in Los Angeles, one of the busiest highways in the nation, for over a week. One suspect arrested carrying a blowtorch and starting fires near the starting point of the deadly Kenneth Fire was reportedly a homeless illegal immigrant. 

The memo also noted that funding for LAFD has long been eclipsed by homelessness spending and that other departments — such as police — get a portion of the homelessness funding to offset their homeless-related service volume.

“LAFD could improve service if funded as a distinct part of the Los Angeles City approach for caring for the PEH [people experiencing homelessness] community,” wrote LAFD. “Other city agencies such as the Los Angeles Police Department are funded in this manner.”

Some leaders shared their concern that the city’s lack of progress on addressing homelessness has a negative impact on the safety of both homeless individuals and the broader population. 

“This memo confirms what we’ve already known — that the people whom Los Angeles consigns to live and die on the streets are a danger to themselves and others,” said Los Angeles Republican Party Chairwoman Roxanne Hoge to The Center Square. “Mayor Karen Bass must be held accountable to keep us all safe. The homeless need treatment, and we all need public safety.”