Pendleton, Oregon: Pendleton firefighters and residents on Northeast Ellis Place halted a grass fire that spread from a homeless camp to threaten homes and families Wednesday evening.
A total of five agencies responded to the rapidly-growing fire and managed to confine it before it spread beyond eight acres or so.
Fire blackened much of the camp, but there was no obvious fire pit. Signs at the site Thursday morning pointed to a fast getaway — occupants left behind melted nylon tents and plastic tarps and charred tennis shoes. Someone also left dirty syringes and needles near the main portion of the camp.
No surprise there; it's common to find needles and syringes around bum camps. Politicians and others keep bleating on about the need for "affordable housing", "services", and other help for the "homeless". They fail to realize that for the most part, the bums don't want responsibility.
That word's not part of their vocabulary.
