Cold snap sparks fire concerns at homeless camps

The cold weather that's descended on the South Coast this December is leading toheightened fears of fire hazards in homeless camps.

With overnight lows expected to drop well below zeroacross the Lower Mainland this weekend, there are concerns that people living on the streets will turn on space heaters or burn candles in their tents to keep warm

It's exactly the type of situation that led to a fatality in Vancouver a few years ago, saidFire Chief John McKearney.

"That was unfortunately a lady who had a built a home with a shopping cart andmaterials all around her," said McKearney.

"She had a candle in there and it started the whole inside structure on fire, resulting in her death."

McKearneysaid crewsresponded to a similar call early Thursday morninginthe Downtown Eastside.

"We had a fire in make-shift quarters out in the street, and invariably that's what happens with some of these devices; they tip over or they're close to combustibles."

'I hear about small fires all the time'

It's a worry echoed by Shayne Williams, executive director ofLookout Emergency Aid Society, which provides services for homeless people across Metro Vancouver.

"I hear about small fires all the time, in terms of people trying to stay warm, typically in tents or wooded areas," Williamssaid.

"Many of these tents can be flammable, particularly the cheaper tents that are more accessible, unfortunately, to the folks who are suffering from poverty concerns."

Judy Graves,a former homeless advocate for the City of Vancouver,has seen these fire hazards first-hand.

"Fires in the tents are extremely dangerous," Graves said. "The tents themselves are flammable. I've seen sleeping bags in the tents that have caught on fire."

Graves noted thatone of the biggest dangers is burning candles in sealed spaces.

"The flame will take up all of the oxygen in the tent. I've actually pulled a young girl out of the tent when she was anoxic she was not getting any oxygen."

As for a solution, officials and advocates said people should seek shelter at awarming shelter.to escape the chilly temperatures.

Last weekend, the City of Vancouver opened three additional community centres to serve as make-shift warming centres.