ALLENTOWN, Pa. — A fire broke out Friday afternoon at a homeless encampment on Kline Island, renewing concerns about the city’s growing homeless population and the conditions residents face as winter approaches.

Deputy Allentown Fire Chief Matt Eharth said the blaze began around 1:30 p.m. in a wooded area near the Lehigh County Authority Wastewater Treatment Plant.

About 15 firefighters and four pieces of equipment responded, entering the island from Union Street. The site sits between Basin Street and the Lehigh River, near Martin Luther King Jr. Drive.

A fire burns at a homeless encampment in Allentown, Pa. on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 (Photo Courtesy: Dennis Wetherhold Photography)

The fire was brought under control within two hours. No injuries were reported, and damage was limited to brush and wooded areas. The cause remains under investigation, but the location — known to officials as a longstanding encampment — has drawn increasing attention as the city works to address homelessness and repeated camp clearances.

A growing concern

The fire comes at a time when Allentown is in the midst of a months-long effort to remove encampments along Jordan Creek and other areas of the city. Since August, city crews have closed at least three major sites, including a large camp north of Tilghman Street where residents estimated that more than 100 people stayed.

The most recent clearance occurred early Monday when workers and heavy equipment dismantled a camp along the Jordan Creek Greenway. Several residents remained there despite weeks of notices.

Those actions — along with the September evacuation of the Jordan Creek encampment due to flood plain concerns — have pushed more people toward local shelters and social service organizations. In response, the Allentown YMCA opened its seasonal overnight shelter nearly two months early on Sept. 30. The 80-bed facility has been averaging about 45 guests a night and has not yet reached capacity, topping out at 70 guests.

YMCA officials say usage is steadily rising as temperatures drop. Guests receive a hot meal and access to onsite health and support services through partnerships with Valley Health Partners’ Street Medicine team, Treatment Trends Inc. and Valley Youth House.

Officials cite safety risks, service gaps

Mayor Matt Tuerk said recent storms underscore the dangerous conditions at many encampment sites, especially those near waterways prone to flooding.

“The biggest concern is that people may be exposed to significant risk to human life because they’re camped in a place that may see flooding,” Tuerk said, noting that the Jordan Creek evacuation in September was prompted by unpredictable storm patterns during hurricane season. “Those floods are coming.”

A firefighter cleans up debris at a homeless encampment in Allentown, Pa. on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025 (Photo Courtesy: Dennis Wetherhold Photography)

Tuerk, who chairs the Children, Health and Human Services Committee for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, said housing remains one of the most pressing issues facing mayors nationwide.

“Housing is a pressing need not just in Allentown and Bethlehem, but wherever you look across the country,” he said. “We spend a lot of time thinking about how to improve our local environments.”

He also raised concerns about potential disruptions to SNAP benefits amid federal budget uncertainty, saying hunger is an immediate crisis for many local families.

“Food is an indisputable necessity,” he said. “People are calling 2-1-1 for hunger, for housing, for mental health concerns. One system is going to be overwhelmed.”

Tuerk directed residents in need toward the YMCA, the Daybreak drop-in center at the Lehigh Conference of Churches and Ripple Community on Hamilton Street.

Policy debate continues

Allentown City Council is considering legislation aimed at establishing new protocols for clearing encampments. The ordinance, introduced by Councilmembers Ce-Ce Gerlach and Natalie Santos, would require a risk assessment before removals, at least 90 days’ written notice to residents and staff training on interacting with unhoused individuals. It also sets standards for addressing safety hazards and protecting personal property.

The bill was sent to the Committee of the Whole for review, a move Gerlach criticized as a delay. Council President Daryl Hendricks said the proposal affects several city departments and warrants full council involvement.

Community organizations say they are bracing for winter. Despite expanded shelter space, demand for services continues to increase, and clearances of camps — including the area where Friday’s fire burned — have left many residents with few places to go.

Michael Reisman, association director of communications for the YMCA, said Allentown has long relied on strong partnerships to support unhoused residents.

“Every year, organizations like the United Way and the First Presbyterian Church come together to help those who need us most,” he said.

City officials have not said whether Friday’s fire will prompt additional action at the Kline Island site.