[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6362385,"mediaKeyId","2168016-306873a4871fc432994076a681bfea57","parentId",2168016,"title","Residents press Salem officials to strengthen enforcement after woods fires linked to encampments","audioSeconds",2663,"startMs",2154000,"endMs",4817000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2168016-306873a4871fc432994076a681bfea57&start=2154&end=4817","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2168016-306873a4871fc432994076a681bfea57/thumbnail_2154000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6362385/Salem-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Residents-press-Salem-officials-to-strengthen-enforcement-after-woods-fires-linked-to-encampments","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362385-f5835b202bb1ba84995f2bb848bbedde/orig.mp4?Expires=1770435694&Signature=P1Pg0HrTrNShAw1UTx48DvwG3~Ae6xw7X5CHK8DIHIBI0k6IjbtOtCm5Sfor~GrMhtgaJjYrAEIGYxZ1cjqJXB7aolTQ2l7s54Qa~QBD6Szs75MmWgDWCEYB62pM~mlwHHs2CLnFw4ckP2booUByzCkYIrBwqnK6BObv2ejBYnUcvF5tKPI0P7XmxetLNpRv-8pDtKGKux672xyLyy7-EuFeojalkaWvde2~vvWZJUykGyugiRfpfIMYDf--iuyuWAFfraGdFZSDQ56KQG3to3Kzo6v3GalNrXFzszCJb1d9f5pEkhzXfMOA76dbe0~RJhOsi0kuz4olAvglORy87g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Salem City, MA","date","2025-01-29T00:00:00Z","article","Residents at a Salem public meeting urged stronger enforcement and ordinance changes after tents and reported campfires in Salem Woods coincided with October brush fires.

Several residents described seeing two people camped within about 100 feet of condominium units in the Cloisters and along First Street and said the presence of the encampment created safety and fire risks. Tim Walker told officials, \"I have 2 homeless people that live in the woods, probably about a hundred feet, from my unit,\" and said his wife felt unsafe when he was not home.

Police Captain John Burke and Police Chief Lucas Miller described enforcement limits. Burke said officers and the Community Impact Unit have worked to move people into transitional housing when possible and are pursuing no-trespass remedies where property is private. Miller said investigation and enforcement can be difficult on public land and that investigators must often \"catch them in the act\" to remove people who repeatedly reestablish camps. \"I don't know how these fires started,\" Miller said, \"but I think it's a distinct possibility that somebody with a campfire was responsible.\"

Officials pointed to a recently drafted city ordinance banning camping on public property, which was written to address a downtown encampment and has a 72-hour notice provision for established sites. Several residents said that provision allows people who are asked to move to shift short distances and restart camps, and urged the council to revisit the timeframe and penalties. Councilor John Harvey acknowledged the ordinance'was narrowly targeted and said he will solicit councilors' views on possible changes.

Private property managers said trespass tools are available where land is privately owned and encouraged posting and no-trespass orders in those cases. City staff said housing authority and private-property remedies exist but that clearing public woods or removing debris on public parcels is costly and complex. Community Impact staff said they have had success placing some people into housing but acknowledged the problem is multifaceted, involving homelessness, mental health and substance-use issues.

Residents also proposed short-term mitigation such as trimming overhanging branches abutting private lots, creating small fuel-breaks near housing, and coordinating volunteers for targeted debris removal. Officials said homeowners may trim branches that overhang private property lines and that the city would take mitigation suggestions to the Public Services Department for review.

City officials said they will review the camping ordinance and enforcement options with the council and neighborhood stakeholders. They also asked residents to sign up for CodeRed to ensure rapid emergency notifications.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Salem City October Brush Fires Public Meeting January 29th, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Residents told city officials that tents and campfires in Salem Woods contributed to dangerous conditions during October fires; police and councilors said a recently adopted no-camping ordinance was aimed at a downtown encampment and will be re-examined to address woods camping and enforcement gaps.","taxTitle","Salem City, Essex County, Massachusetts","taxId",70531,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6362388,"Salem officials outline response, training and equipment plans after October wildland fires",4991,20000,5011000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2168016-306873a4871fc432994076a681bfea57&start=20&end=5011","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2168016-306873a4871fc432994076a681bfea57/thumbnail_20000.jpg","/articles/6362388/Salem-City/Essex-County/Massachusetts/Salem-officials-outline-response-training-and-equipment-plans-after-October-wildland-fires","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6362388-4c4ec805cb7a9f9f67b86ef48be60849/orig.mp4?Expires=1770435694&Signature=F2-Io93Sl7lt3nA~0~n0KUM~PRV6vl~-vrmA~ApN-5uQ28P13Z3i42cmQeBQjLPflCLh0OxQUT8IrgM8-GXT1p-u1gzKxnSdkLh6jlwRO9tmMQU5sE9dSFNDuS-MMr-NETysv4aKfKGa-1-eIi1aATfGu4ICzKAen4UUd2o608F91LXu08KajG87j-GuXcdnsxPd9EhkTxKoG26~UT5jMOfbTpJO24Tn7JMivIGJNVrILtao8YYq8bMWYbRHsG6zcxl-bLoh9KvI8WmIhc0oekaRXujLb~Wc5WAtaRXcg7E4Pg3-VXItVVl01-OUealDWzxjUc-jsJD9F-3KgyElWQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Salem officials reviewed the October wildland fires and the city's response at a public meeting, and outlined investments and training intended to improve future response.

Mayor Dominic Pangalo said the city leaned heavily on regional mutual aid during the October fires and is directing federal relief toward public-safety communications. \"We have been using our American Rescue Plan Act funds'... just over $3,000,000 for a public project to completely upgrade that system to an entirely new system,\" Pangalo said, referring to an overhaul of Salem Police and Fire radio equipment.

Fire Chief Allen Dion gave a timeline of the incident, describing multiple simultaneous fires that began the morning of Oct. 26 and required task forces, air support and unified incident command. Dion said mutual aid brought dozens of apparatus and personnel that Salem does not keep in an urban fire station, including brush trucks, tankers and an air wing. He said crews worked under difficult terrain and wind conditions and that smoke persisted for weeks: \"The most important thing is we had no injuries.\"

Officials said the fires exposed capacity limits when many North Shore and regional departments were responding to simultaneous incidents. Dion said state mobilization plans and the Department of Fire Services'coordination prevented a broader breakdown but added the region came close to needing out-of-state assets. \"It was determined that we weren't too far from our breaking point,\" he said.

Police Chief Lucas Miller described support roles the department provided, including traffic control and limited aerial surveillance with a police drone equipped with a heat-signature camera. He also urged residents to sign up for the city's emergency notification system, CodeRed, and explained that door-to-door evacuation remains the ultimate method when life is at risk: \"When there is life threatening danger... an officer or a firefighter will come and make absolutely sure that a structure [is evacuated].\"

Officials described planned and already underway changes: expanded wildland training in partnership with the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) in spring; consideration of specialized brush and tanker equipment as part of capital planning; and a multi-million-dollar radio upgrade funded from Salem's American Rescue Plan Act allocation to improve interoperability. Dion said the department added urban-forestry training language to its recent labor contract in direct response to the fires.

Residents asked about fuel reduction and landscape mitigation in the woods behind neighborhoods. City and department officials encouraged homeowners to keep vegetation and debris away from foundations and to avoid placing bark mulch against siding, and they acknowledged major land-management work on public and private parcels would be costly and complex. Dion said state and federal resources, plus regional partners, will be part of any sustained mitigation and training effort.

The meeting closed with officials saying more after-action reviews will inform capital and training decisions, and that further public outreach is planned.

","Mayor Dominic Pangalo, Fire Chief Allen Dion and Police Chief Lucas Miller reviewed the October brush-fire response, described mutual‑aid operations and said the city will invest in radios, training and other resources to prepare for recurring wildland fires.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents press Salem officials to strengthen enforcement after woods fires linked to encampments

Salem officials outline response, training and equipment plans after October wildland fires