Sepulveda Basin neighbors urge city leaders to clear homeless encampments

On a hot summer evening, kids and families are making the most of the sprawling Sepulveda Basin recreation area, but multiple homeless encampments are concealed in its wooded areas. 

A couple of weeks ago, something in one of the encampments exploded, severely injuring a firefighter. Since then, firefighters extinguished more blazes, which have sparked concerns that not enough is being done to keep the area safe.

"Probably here, they can easily conceal themselves, so they are harder to find, and you don't know what they're up to," resident Nancy Harrington said. 

The explosion and fire on June 24 were so dangerous the bomb squad was called out. Police said they received a report a grenade was inside the encampment. However, the Los Angeles Police Department and Fire Department did not say whether any were found. 

The cause of the detonation remains under investigation. 

"There needs to be a point where you say, 'You cannot be here,'" resident Pate Bates said. 

Bates is also a member of the San Fernando Valley Audubon Society, which supports wildlife conservation along the LA River. She said there must be accountability for people setting fires in the basin. 

"It's the same thing, over and over and over again," she said. "I don't get it."

Over the years, the Sepulveda Basin has seen a number of fires. One in 2019 became more dangerous after propane tank explosions, and the year after, another tore through the area.

Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who represents the area, said the city is exploring different options to address the encampments. 

"I'm exploring different solutions and actively working with different departments to address the issue of encampments and to reduce fire hazards in the area," she said in a statement. 

The firefighter injured in the June explosion has been released from the hospital.