We Now Know How Several of the California Wildfires Started

On Thursday, news broke that three brush fires in the San Diego, California area started in homeless encampments.

The San Diego Metro Arson Strike Team (MAST) confirmed this news to NBC 7 on Thursday.

The fires in question were the Friars Fire in Mission Valley, the Center Fire in Rancho Bernardo and the Gilman Fire in La Jolla (via NBC San Diego):

On Jan. 21, a brush fire on a hillside across from Fashion Valley Mall in Mission Valley threatened structures and prompted evacuation orders.
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On Jan. 22, firefighters responded to a brush fire on a mountainside in Rancho Bernardo that threatened homes and injured one person, according to the San Diego Fire-Rescue Department.
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By 11 a.m., the fire had grown to 7 acres with no containment, but fire crews appeared to have an upper hand on the blaze, and some resources were being dispersed. By 1 p.m., containment was at 50%. All evacuation orders and warnings were lifted a little more than two hours later, San Diego police said.
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On Jan. 23, a brush fire was burning close to homes and quickly prompted evacuations in La Jolla.
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Before the more than 175 responding firefighters got a hold on the situation, officials issued evacuation orders and warnings for the areas near the Gilman Fire shortly before 3 p.m. Nearly an hour later, authorities said those orders and warnings had been lifted.

BREAKING: Investigators say the three fires that broke out in San Diego last week were all started in homeless encampments.

Build a manmade island a few miles off the coast of California, ship the homeless out there, problem solved.

The three fires were all in different areas… pic.twitter.com/p77gyAK80P
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 31, 2025