Fire Rescue prepares for increase in outside fires

The fall and winter seasons pose a fresh set of challenges to those experiencing homelessness on Albuquerque’s streets, including hypothermia, frostbite and a greater spread of colds and viruses. 

To stay warm and often to cook food, some turn to lighting small illegal fires outside, which can result in significant injuries, property damage and property loss. 

In February, Albuquerque Fire Rescue (AFR) officials said the Wash Tub Laundromat fire at 1105 Central Ave. NW looked to have been set by campers trying to keep warm. The fire destroyed the building, but no injuries were reported.

The seasonal increase in 911 calls puts an added strain on AFR personnel. 

To help, the department is bringing back an initiative it launched as a pilot project last year — Brush 3 — using a lightweight and agile brush truck to respond to calls. The truck was dispatched to more than 1,700 of 3,700 outside fire calls from Dec. 30 to April 19. The remaining 2,000 calls were handled by the closest unit or engine, AFR spokesperson Lt. Jason Fejer said.

“The entire premise of the outside fire pilot was to have a response model to handle these smaller fires that are typically extinguished with a water can and don’t require the capabilities of a full-size fire engine with a 500-gallon water tank and a 2,000-gallon-per-minute pump,” Fejer said.

While housing status is not officially tracked by AFR when documenting the fire responses, Fejer said the calls typically come from areas of the city where people living on the street are more visible. 

For the majority of the pilot period, crews used Brush 3 to respond to outside fires in the East Central corridor and an area of the Northeast Heights near Juan Tabo Boulevard and Central Avenue. Fire Station No. 5 in the International District was one of the most active with 797 outside fire calls. Other frequent locations included the San Mateo Boulevard and Kathryn Avenue area and at San Mateo and Menaul boulevards.

The unit was AFR’s busiest in January and February — calls started to decrease in March and then the initiative concluded in April as the weather started to warm up.

“There is talk about putting a second outside fire truck in service to be available in other areas of the city, and to provide coverage Downtown and along West Central,” Fejer said, adding that it would depend on budgets and overtime availability.

AFR also hopes to start the initiative sooner this year — in November instead of December. Brush 3 is also used to proactively patrol areas with high call activity.

Fejer said there are steps commercial and residential property owners can take to better safeguard businesses and homes during the colder months.

“The best way to prevent an outside fire from extending to a structure is maintaining a defensible space around the structure — keeping stacks of pallets, compacted cardboard and other combustibles away from businesses if possible,” he said. 

Fejer said that residences adjacent to alleys or other areas that experience a high number of outside fires should keep yards manicured and keep vegetation away from structures.

AFR has 22 fire stations and responded to 97,404 calls in 2023. It is one of the busiest fire departments in the country with about 760 full-time firefighters.

For more: Advocates, agencies for unhoused prepare for colder temps.