Firefighters Snuff out Vegetation Fire on San Rafael Hill

San Rafael Fire Department crews quickly extinguished a fire late Thursday morning that started in a homeless encampment on San Rafael Hill, according to San Rafael fire officials.

A motorist driving north on Highway 101 called 911 just before noon to report the fire. The driver reported seeing a column of smoke rising from the hill near Robert Dollar Drive, according to San Rafael Fire Chief Chris Gray.

Fire crews found the fire burning several hundred feet above the rear parking lot at the Falkirk Cultural Center, located at 1408 Mission Avenue.

Firefighters quickly extinguished the 20 by 20 foot area of burning vegetation before it spread elsewhere on San Rafael Hill, Gray said in a release. The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

“The fire was located in an obvious homeless encampment,” Gray wrote. “Had this fire occurred earlier in the week as we experienced higher wind conditions, the outcome would likely have been different.” 

City officials have been patrolling open spaces to minimize illegal camping, Gray said.

Residents are asked to contact the San Rafael Police (485-3000) or San Rafael Fire Department (485-3307) if they see any suspicious activity in neighborhoods or on the hillsides.

Check out what else is on San Rafael Patch:

• Do You Feel Safe in Downtown San Rafael?
• Police Use Tray Liners at Free Dining Room to Get Message Out to Transients
• San Rafael to Put the Homeless to Work
• Op-Ed: Quality of Life Problems in Downtown San Rafael
• San Rafael Biz Owners: No Tolerance for Unruly Street Behavior
• San Rafael Priorities: Less Homelessness and a Sales Tax Extension

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