COLD LAKE - A fire in a wooded area near Highway 28 and Millenium Trail earlier this month appears to be connected to a homeless encampment, which has raised concerns among law enforcement and City of Cold Lake officials.
“We got a call here on Highway 28 about a bush fire,” said Cst. Julian Lipka, a general duty member of the RCMP who responded to the call on Sept. 4. "We came on scene, saw smoke coming out, we went in, there was what looked like a campfire inside. It looks like it had gotten out of control, and there was a treehouse type structure nearby that had also caught on fire.”
Upon arrival, authorities did not find any individuals at the scene of the fire.
Lipka described the fire as significant, noting, “It was about a six-foot fire, probably about six feet high and six feet wide.”
Speaking with Lakeland This Week after the incident, City of Cold Lake CAO Kevin Nagoya emphasized that the municipality is aware of the dangers posed by homeless camps and is taking action.
Offering some statistics, he said, so far this year, “the City of Cold Lake’s Fire-Rescue Team has responded to 29 calls relating to homeless camping. In 2022 and 2023, the number of calls were 27 and 54, respectively. This is an increase from two in 2018, four in 2019, three in 2020, and eight in 2021.”
“I can confirm that the City does and continues to have concerns relating to fires and homeless camps," Nagoya said. "The shelters are not permitted, of which the Cold Lake detachment of the RCMP and Municipal Enforcement are supported to lay fines and charges."
Nagoya stressed the City's proactive efforts to address the situation.
"The City continues to actively remove and dismantle homeless camps as there are alternative options [of shelter] available," he explained, adding, "If necessary, there are also other supports in other communities of which our FCSS team can assist the homeless person(s).”
The City’s Emergency Services team remains prepared to respond to a variety of incidents, including fires related to homeless camps.
“Our Emergency Services personnel are equipped to respond to whatever the call may be, whether it's a fire, motor vehicle accident, or lift assist,” Nagoya stated.
