Fires Increasing Near Venice Boardwalk, Rose Avenue
VENICE, CA — Arson investigators are examining several fires that have hit the Venice area in the last week, including two boardwalk fires and another RV burned out near Penmar Golf Course, officials said.
Near the boardwalk, a fire set in an alley behind an apartment at 38 Rose Ave. early Sunday damaged the building. Neighbors tell The Venice Current that an old Christmas tree was set on fire next to the apartment.
A building along the boardwalk was destroyed on Jan. 13 when a homeless encampment fire spread to the 6,952-square-foot building at 723 S. Ocean Front Walk, near Park Avenue. It took more than 100 firefighters nearly two and half hours to knock down the blaze.
Firefighters also battled a second RV fire on Rose Avenue near the Penmar Golf Club Wednesday at 10:20 p.m., The Venice Current reports.
Another RV fire was reported on Jan. 4 at about 1:30 a.m. near 1233 Rose Ave, Venice.
The recent fires are concerning neighbors. Los Angeles County Beaches & Harbors were also warning people that beach fires are illegal.
Consider the safety of marine life & beachgoers. Say NO to illegal fires.
NO bonfires, firepits or personal grills on LA County beaches & beach parking lots.
Report illegal bonfires:
DOCKWEILER/VENICE @LAPDPacific – 1-877-ASK-LAPD
TOPANGA BEACH @LHSLASD - 818-878-1808 pic.twitter.com/iZAjqwiUkS
— LA Beaches & Harbors (@lacdbh) January 17, 2021
Fire trucks out there blazing by again. There better not be another fire here. We’ve had two major ones in Venice/MDR in a few days. No more.
— Candice Bomb (@BombCandice) January 15, 2021
In Venice. We’re already up that much since the pandemic. This is this morning’s fire started in an encampment. We have had dozens of these fires. This one ignited a large building on the boardwalk. Gold’s Gym is its own Skid Row. pic.twitter.com/yarBn7rr60
— loripetty (@loripetty) January 13, 2021
Alexander Poe lives off the boardwalk in Venice and has asked city leaders to help protect both housed and unhoused people living in the area. Locals have been concerned about recent fires at encampments throughout the pandemic.
"Neighbors and firefighters have been talking about the danger of this happening for a long time as the camps have grown and grown," Poe told Patch.
"There have been many fires at this exact camp and no one could do anything about it because of [L.A. City Councilman Mike] Bonin's interpretation of the CDC guidelines," Poe said. "It seems to me the CDC concern is unhoused people pushed out of one area bringing COVID to another area but the previous comprehensive cleanups never pushed anyone off the boardwalk. They moved their stuff for an hour to my street a block off the boardwalk, then they moved right back an hour later. It wasn't perfect but it did prevent the camps from accumulating huge amounts of stuff and becoming fire traps."
Patch reached out to Bonin's office for comment on the recent fires and homeless encampments. Bonin has encouraged people who see or have any information about the possible arson fires to contact investigators.
Anyone with information about the fires can contact Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigators call (213) 893-9800.
Thank you to the 116 firefighters who battled & knocked down the #OceanFrontFire in Venice yesterday. The specific cause of the non-injury fire remains under investigation. If you have information to share with arson Investigators, call (213) 893-9800.
Photo cred: Spectrum News pic.twitter.com/IfIAECpOCa
— Mike Bonin-Official (@MikeBoninLA) January 14, 2021
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This article originally appeared on the Venice-Mar Vista Patch
