Homeless camp fire nearly burns down nearby neighborhood in El Paso County

A fire chief in El Paso County is upset after a fire at a homeless camp nearly burned down a nearby neighborhood. The fire broke out early Monday morning. 

Stratmoor Hills Fire Chief Shawn Bittle said the area is the site of what he called a "notorious homeless city" and said the county needs to intervene. 

"I have approximately 40 firefighters and multiple law enforcement officers here on scene risking their lives for something that is 100% preventable," said Bittle. 

The trustee of a property in the Stratmoor Hills area said he hasn't been out to the land in over three years and told CBS News affiliate 11 News that he had no idea that many people were living there or that a fire had broken out.

Joe Brinkerhoff has been the trustee of that land for over 10 years and lives in Durango. He said he rents that property to one man who has permission to camp there and manage the land.

According to El Paso County, "...staff has been working continuously to address concerns of this nature. This location has an active code enforcement case for violations of El Paso County's Rubbish Ordinance and Land Development Code for operation of illegal uses, including illegal occupancy at the property."