Fires sparked in trash and debris at homeless encampments have become a recurring problem in Los Angeles' Sepulveda Basin, raising concerns among residents about the potential for the fires to spread to nearby homes.

“It’s become a public safety concern due to the heavy vegetation, the encampments, and illegal dumping in the area,” Captain Erik Scott of the Los Angeles Fire Department told KTLA’s Rachel Menitoff on Friday.

Encino resident Dan Sweeney says city crews clear the encampments, only to see them return.

“They’ve done cleanups of the bamboo area along Burbank (Boulevard). They clear it out, but typically within six months, people are back again,” Sweeney said.

Bonni Milani, another Encino resident, warns it’s only a matter of time before homes are threatened.

“If they set a f

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