A homeless couple that lost the only shelter available to them two years ago when a suspicious fire engulfed their trailer said they have again become the target of an arsonist.Early Monday morning (Sept. 29), Claire Johnston and Steven Bowbridge were asleep in their 24-ft trailer, which they've parked on Squamish Estuary land along with a small tent trailer that was donated to them after their last encounter with fire. A loud noise that sounded like an explosion awoke them. "Steven opened the curtains and looked out - the tent trailer was engulfed," said Johnston.Barely fighting back tears, the 61-year-old described how she had just emptied the tent trailer of her possessions, storing them in the bush about 10 feet away near the road to the Spit, in order to clean it out before giving it to another needy person. She said when she noticed her neatly piled belongings were now on fire - including paperwork for compensation for her time spent at a Native residential school - she realized it was not an accident. "I'm devastated," she said. "Now I can't help someone else get off the ground."Johnston and Bowbridge had been allowing others to stay in the tent trailer, but no one was inside when the fire occurred. Now Johnston said she's afraid for her other trailer.Fire Rescue chief Ray Saurette said despite its suspicious nature, fire investigators can't commit to reporting it as criminal intent."It was not their trailer," said Saurette, "it was a trailer that they had residing there and they were letting it out to other people, and the people weren't around, so did they do something in the trailer that was inappropriate? Left it? Created the fire situation? I don't know because I have no way of talking to anybody who actually resides."He said he also can't support the assertion by homeless people throughout the district that they are being regularly targeted by arsonists."There have been a lot of fires associated to the homeless," said Saurette. "Is somebody out there doing something? I don't know. There are suspicions. But are some of them self-imposed due to carelessness?"Saurette said he's not trying to place blame unduly, and has approached the district to address the problems caused by people who camp out in the bush."Some of them are nuisance calls because they are abandoned campfires, some of them appear to be purposely lit - lighting their belongings on fire or whatever else," he said. "And they're all over the community. They're not consistent in one area. If they were sheltered in appropriate facilities, it would probably be a huge step in at least reducing the number of fires that is incurring in these camps and to these people."Johnston and Bowbridge made headlines in the winter of 2006 after the trailer in which they lived was destroyed by fire while the couple was in Pemberton seeking work. The tent trailer was donated to them after that incident, and they now occupy a 24-ft trailer thanks to the owner's acceptance of regular small payments. Johnston worked for several months for the Douglas First Nations helping to build six independent power projects near Lillooet. But she can no longer work due to the severe pain of arthritis.She said Community Futures Development Corporation is helping her draft a small business plan to bring to her band, the Squamish Nation, for funding. Her great grandfather had farmed land at Mile 10 in the Squamish Valley, and she dreams of returning there to open a bed and breakfast. But, she said, the band hasn't been very helpful in the past.She said she's appealed the Squamish Nation for allotted reserve housing and was told she's eligible, but three years later is still waiting. A Squamish Nation member offered to let her park on his reserve property, but later told her he was not allowed to let her live there, said Johnston. Calls to Squamish Nation administration and council were not returned. But former Squamish Nation council member and current District of Squamish municipal candidate Donna Billy relayed her experience with Johnston.Billy said Johnston's attempts to find housing on and off reserve may be hindered "because of who she's living with.""I've given her all kinds of suggestions from being on council prior. I have given a path to follow, but if she chooses not to follow through, that's nobody's fault but her own."Johnston said she's now facing eviction from the land she's occupied all summer while exercising her right to net for fish along the estuary's shoreline. She's not entitled to live on the land, however, and she was recently told by bylaw officers to vacate the premises by Oct. 14.
