Brush fire breaks out on Jacksonville’s Southside after ‘warming fire’ at homeless camp

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — After an early morning brush fire Friday, several people were evacuated from their homes on the Southside.

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Nine people were evacuated from the Arc Jacksonville Villages, a community housing development for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities

“Everyone was fine. They returned within a few hours to their homes,” Kari Bates, President of the Arc, said. “Just really grateful for JFRD, our team at the Arc Jacksonville for getting everyone safely evacuated.”

The Florida Forest Service said this started after a “warming fire” at a homeless camp in the woods. Action News Jax crews saw shopping carts and burnt clothing near the woods.

“Around 1:45 [A.M], we became aware that there was a fire behind our property and the fire department responded swiftly,” Bates said.

There was no damage to the properties in the area, and no one was hurt.

Action News Jax reached out to the City of Jacksonville for a comment on the brush fire and asked about their policies for keeping track of homeless camps in the area and ensuring safety for families, especially in situations like this one.

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A City spokesperson sent us this statement in response to our questions:

Action News Jax: Does the city keep track of the number of homeless camps in the city and where they’re located?

City of Jacksonville spokesperson: “We do not have a running list. That would be an impossible task to with homeless camps coming and going over Jacksonville’s more than 840 square miles. Oftentimes, camps are in remote areas, including woods, which is an intentional choice by the folks living in them.”

Action News Jax: How are you tracking camps that are not in parks?

City of Jacksonville spokesperson: “We are aware of some ongoing camps downtown, otherwise we rely on citizens to file a report if there is a camp that is affecting safety or causing a disturbance.”

Action News Jax: How are you ensuring families’ safety, especially in situations like this (with fire)?

City of Jacksonville spokesperson: “Public safety is always a top priority of the city, and our first responders stand ready to respond to address any incident that arises. If a citizen reports a homeless camp that is creating an issue, the City of Jacksonville in partnership with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office will investigate and potentially clear any unsafe elements. In the event of a fire, JFRD is on the scene as soon as possible to put it out. Fire stations are strategically placed around the county to ensure minimal response time.”

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