Press Contact: Keith May, Assistant Fire Chief/Public Information Officer, (510) 981-5508WITH RISE IN DEBRIS-FIRES, REPORT SUSPICIOUS ACTIVITY
Clear debris around your property and bring in garbage cans when possible
Berkeley, California (Friday, December 22, 2017) - With an increase in the number of small, debris fires around town, Berkeley Fire is asking people to keep their eyes open and report any suspicious activity.
These fires have been small: boxes, mattresses, trash or the contents of a garbage bin. No buildings have been damaged and no one has been injured. While these fires may seem minor, they can pose a much greater threat if not handled quickly.
Over the past month, there has been a significant increase in these fires and Berkeley Fire is conducting a comprehensive investigation into these intentionally-set fires. There are also some steps you can take to increase safety around your home or property:
- Clean up the debris around your property
- Bring in garbage cans when not expecting pickup
- Call 9-1-1 to report suspicious activity
Between Nov. 1 and Dec. 22, there have been 44 small, debris fires in Berkeley. In 2016, there were 12 similar fires for the same period.
Areas of particular concern are the following neighborhoods:
- Shattuck Avenue between Rose and Marin Circle
- Martin Luther King Jr. Way between the Ashby BART Station to the Oakland border
- Russell Street south of San Pablo Park
- Dwight Way west of Eighth Street
Please see below for an interactive map of these small, debris fires since Nov. 1. If you have information about any of these fires, please call 981-5900.
Please keep your eyes open, clear away debris from around your property and report any suspicious activity.
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