Fire danger increased by illegal camping

Cooler overnight temperatures and higher humidity during the day gives the feeling that fall may be in the air, but fire officials are casting a wary eye at the underbrush.  Two recent fires in the same day highlighted once challenge.  Both fires were near the Florence Events Center… and both were likely caused by transients, camping out and trying to stay warm.

The first fire, earlier in the day Monday turned out to be a warming fire and with a homeless camper at the site.  Later that night, however, firefighters had to extinguish a larger blaze… roughly five-feet by five-feet that had gotten out of control.

Siuslaw Valley Fire Marshall Sean Barrett says the agency hasn’t had to deal with homeless campfires for the past few months, but will likely be seeing more in the future.