'Very, very scary': Fires at San Francisco’s oldest park have neighbors on edge
Branches and trees are charred in Buena Vista Park on Sept. 30, a week after a fire tore through the area.
TL;DR
- Residents are concerned about a rise in fires in Buena Vista Park, San Francisco's oldest park.
- The San Francisco Fire Department responded to 23 outdoor fires along Buena Vista Avenue in the year leading up to Sept. 23, with at least five confirmed inside the park.
- Neighbors suspect homeless campers are responsible for starting some of the blazes.
- The park's dark, hilly, and wooded terrain makes it a known spot for homeless encampments.
- Calls for increased evening patrols, better lighting, and vegetation management have been made to address the issue.
- Complaints about homeless encampments in the park have seen fluctuations, with a decrease in August and September compared to the previous year.