State officials clean up area of recent homeless camp fires

AUSTIN, Texas - Expect some lane closures at Highway 183 and Cameron Road today as state officials work to clean up a homeless camp in the area where there have been several recent fires.

Cleaning efforts got underway again after the initial efforts started on February 21 when Austin Resource Recovery says the emergency cleanup operation was up in place because of two fires at the camp in the past month.

The camp sits under a bridge at 183 and Cameron Road and the road closures could cause traffic issues throughout the day. Police are urging drivers to find alternative routes.

After the fires, TxDOT brought in an inspector to assess if there was damage to the bridge but there were some issues due to people's belongings and trash in the way. TxDOT was able to finally assess and found no issues with the bridge.

Workers with Austin Resouce Recovery spent all day on February 21 picking up items including bicycles and wheelbarrows but the job is far from over.

Officials say major operations like this one can be somewhat dangerous because workers never know what they're going to find.