Crews quickly knocked down Paso Robles homeless encampment fire Monday morning

PASO ROBLES, Calif. – The Paso Robles Fire Department quickly knocked down a quarter-acre vegetation fire that sparked in a homeless encampment within the city on Monday morning, according to the department.

Crews were dispatched to the area of North River Road and Sulphur Springs Road just before 8:30 a.m. on Monday, and arriving units reported roughly 1/4 of an acre burning in the Salinas riverbed with difficult access, according to Battalion Chief Scott Hallett.

The fire was quickly contained upon arrival and fully extinguished within an hour, Hallett said.

The cause of the fire was determined to be from an unattended fire at a homeless encampment in the riverbed, he added.

Three fire engines and two battalion chiefs responded, and additional responding units were cancelled prior to arrival, according to Hallett.