As the weather heats up, fire anxiety is rising in Kelowna.

Last weekend, residents of a Kelowna community spoke out about fires being repeatedly started by people breaking into a group of derelict properties along a stretch of Dougall Road South. They are worried sparks could spread to nearby homes.

"What about us? What about our rights?" asked Rutland residents Sandi Bolk and Jayme Bush.

Concerns over homeless people lighting fires in back alleys and near businesses also came up at a Kelowna Chamber of Commerce luncheon on community safety.

“We have a fire outside our building almost nightly for people keeping themselves warm and I’ve noticed other businesses suffering the same, whether it’s at their back doors or entrances. What can we do to protect ourselves as businesses in Kelowna to prevent or limit the impac?” asked Chamber CEO George Greenwood.

Assistant fire chief Dennis Craig calls many of those fires, fires of opportunity. He recommends businesses contact the community safety group or fire prevention branch to come out and do a Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED) assessment.

“If you have a bunch of pallets, a bunch of cardboard and garbage out there or other materials or recycling materials out there, well that’s easy access to make that warming fire,” said Craig.

The director of emergency services at Kelowna’s Gospel Mission has some advice for business operators who don’t want people loitering outside their establishments.

“We don’t tolerate people loitering or lying on the sidewalk in front of our space, so I ask people to move,” said Webster. “I do so graciously, I do so with respect and kindness, I do so with some suggestions in my back pocket, but I certainly do ask them to move.”

As for the properties on Dougall Road, efforts are underway to get the site cleaned up.

“It is an escalation. We don’t just go from zero to 100. We do give the property owners an opportunity to come into compliance on their own. As that doesn’t happen, we escalate further into more strict action,” said Craig.

In the meantime, City of Kelowna director of community safety Kevin Mead said neighbours should continue to report campfires and suspicious activity to the bylaw department or the RCMP.