It is an all-too-often occurrence — a brush fierce started by the homeless.

This time it was as a cooking fire on Sunday afternoon on the northeast corner of the Main Street interchange. It got out of control and sent black smoke across the 120 Bypass mid-afternoon Sunday.

There were four “spot” fires along the 120 Bypass over the weekend,

Manteca Fire hasn’t determined the cause of the other fires, but based on their location and established trends it is likely the homeless had a hand in them.

Homeless fires run the gamut from cooking fires to warming fires.

The fire department has even responded to fires involving the homeless when they left a candle burning inside their makeshift shelter.

“The homeless account for about 10 percent of our calls annually,” Fire Chief Dave Marques said.

That’s roughly 1,000 calls, with many being medical in nature.

That said the fires involving homeless tend to be in areas with dry vegetation where — if conditions are right such as low humidity and high winds — can spread to nearby structures.

Over the years there have also been fires — warming or cooking — started in vacant or shuttered buildings where damages have ranged from several thousand dollars to complete losses.

They have also started fires for either warmth or cooking in protected areas in front of buildings.

Such was the case involving the county public health clinic on Sycamore Avenue several years ago that is now a city office annex. In that case, the fire that got out of control happened at night on the building’s porch/entryway.

The ripple effect of that fire led to an increase in fire insurance premiums for owners of nearby commercial properties.

Government agencies such as Caltrans have struggled over the years to avoid fires started by the homeless that get out of control — or by other means such as sparks or a tossed cigarette — from igniting dry vegetation along freeways that tend to be popular places for homeless encampments.

The lives at risk are mostly homeless individuals.

Fire concerns was one of the reasons why Caltrans spent $270,000 in February 2022 to install wrought iron security fencing with angled spikes at two locations along Interstate 205 in Tracy and along the 120 Bypass pass in Manteca.

The 120 Bypass work is between Van Ryn Avenue and Moffat Boulevard, including a segment behind Paseo Villas apartments.

There would typically be several fire calls a month in the area.

Most were in response to fires — cooking and warming — that were reported by people passing by that hadn’t gotten out of control and may not have.

But there were at least three times where such fires did get out of cotnrol. And in doing so, potential death traps for the homeless were created.

That’s because the narrow area is between the steep embankment of the 120 Bypass as it crosses Van Ryn Avenue and Moffat and 8-foot soundwalls the other side.

The recent Supreme Court decision coupled with Gov. Gavin Newsom’s executive order is making it easier for authorities to clear up homeless encampments in public places including freeway right-of-way without going through a laborious posting process that can take weeks.

Even so, manpower is still a big issue given Caltrans District 10 covers eight counties where the homeless pose issues.

The City of Manteca last month took advantage of the high court ruling to take their working relationship to the next level with Caltrans and the CHP to allow them to direct homeless in the 120 Bypass to the city’s emergency shelter  when they come across them along the freeway right-of-way.

Caltrans properties where the state’s freeways and highways are located are within state jurisdiction and not that of local cities or counties.

Manteca  has stepped up its pressure on illegal camping in aftermath of the court ruling that legally made it possible to do so.

The crackdown on the homeless means many opt to relocate encampments to high profile — and unsafe locations — along the 120 Bypass and Highway 99.

That also makes the homeless more visible to more people.

Even with the court ruling, the homeless clearly understand they are under less pressure when they relocate to the freeway right-of-way simply because Caltrans and CHP don’t have the resources to enforce illegal camping rules in state right-of-way on a daily basis throughout the district.

The city, in a bid to make sure there are places for the homeless to go if and when the 50 beds at the emergency shelter fill up, has opted to allow the homeless to stay on the grounds at the fenced in location at 555 Industrial Park Drive, according to Mayor Gary Singh.

Ironically, the homeless that inadvertently started the dry grass fire while preparing a meal by the interchange Sunday could have had meals and such provided for them if they had opted to stay at 555 Industrial Park Drive some three blocks way. There are also bathrooms, showers, and other emergency support serviced for the homeless.

Several homeless have indicated to the Bulletin they do not want to go to the emergency shelter site to use a bed or stay there in their vehicles or a tent.

The reasons range from its too confining and they don’t like the rules. Alcohol and drugs use are also not permitted at the emergency shelter location.

 To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com