Homeless Start 17,000 Fires in Los Angeles City Annually, Says LA Fire Department

The most reliable data on fires started by homeless people in the City of Los Angeles comes from the Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), which tracks "homeless fires"-incidents linked to encampments or unsheltered individuals. For the City of Los Angeles specifically (not the broader county), the LAFD reported 13,909 such fires in 2023. This number reflects a significant increase from prior years-nearly double the 7,149 recorded in 2020-and aligns with a trend of rising incidents: 8,823 in 2021 and 11,595 in 2022.

These numbers align with the LAFD's observed annual increase of 2,000–3,000 fires since 2019, making 16,000–17,000 plausible for 2024, though official confirmation is pending.

The LAFD's 2023 figure of 13,909 is concrete, based on their tracking of encampment-related fires, often sparked by cooking, warming flames, or illegal electrical hookups. In contrast, the 2024 estimate of 17,000 remains anecdotal without LAFD's year-end report. Given the consistent upward trend and the city's homeless population of 45,252 (per the 2024 Homeless Count), which is just 1.2% of L.A.'s 3.8 million residents yet tied to over a third of its 36,614 total fires in 2023, the higher 2024 number tracks logically.

So, 13,909 fires in 2023 is the confirmed count, with approximately 17,000 in 2024 as a reasonable estimate based on current trends and unofficial sources, pending official data. For the latest year, that's about 46 fires per day if 17,000 holds.

LAFD Ambulances Basically Transport Homeless People

"We are nothing more now than the homeless Transport service" 2022 LAFD Honorary Fire Chief, Paul Scrivano said. "The biggest reason why the fire department will continue to fail is because we are nothing more now than the homeless Transport service in in the city of Los Angeles. We don't need more stations. We don't need more ambulances. We don't need more paramedics. We need to stop transporting 1200 -1500 bums to the hospital every day. Of our 2000 calls a day, 75% or 1500 calls a day are homeless related or for the homeless."