Small fires started this summer at transient camps around South Lake Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe Fire Rescue and other area fire departments have responded to several illegal cooking fires in homeless encampments this summer, some which have spread to burn up to several hundred feet.

The cause of the July 19 fires behind the power station by the Heavenly Gondola and in the Trout Creek area behind Ross are still under investigation, but sources have said they were both most likely started by illegal campfires. Fire crews also responded to transient camp fires on July 27 and August 8 as well as several illegal cooking fires.

Even with this recent fire activity, local law enforcement officials say they haven't seen an increase in incidents.

Both local police officers and sheriff's deputies conduct regular sweeps of known homeless encampments on the South Shore to be on the lookout for potential threats to public safety.

The El Dorado County Sheriff's Office is contracted by the California Conservancy to conduct sweeps in the Upper Truckee Marsh and Van Sickle Bi-State Park on a regular basis.

"Fortunately we have not seen an increase of transient fires in the unincorporated areas of South Lake Tahoe," said Lt. Matthew Underhill of the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office. "Although transient populations and fires remain a problem in these areas, we have seen improvements due to increased enforcement efforts."

Underhill said the public helps out by reporting camps they find while out recreating.

"As we all realize, we live in a wonderland of matchsticks," said Lt. Brian Williams of the SLT Police Department. "Wildfire has always topped the list of the most likely type of natural (or human-caused) disaster to affect our area. Due to the extreme nature of the current drought, our concerns and attention to fire is even greater than usual."

SLTPD conducts sweeps of the forested areas of the City several times a week.

"This is done multiple times per week in an attempt to locate and identify urban campers and to mitigate the risk of fire hazard," added Williams.