I found old newspaper insulation in my walls!

[thelinteam]

I was demoing some drywall in my 1950s bungalow which previously belonged to my dad so that I can add proper insulation and we found the cavities stuffed with old newspapers from the 40s and 50s. Like, just loose newspapers crammed in there, so is this a fire hazard I need to deal with immediately, or was this actually a thing back then or maybe just negligence
Either way I'm planning to pull it all out and do spray foam, but should I be treating this like an urgent safety issue or just an old house quirk? would really love to take it all off

 

[coldbr3w]

that's quite common in older homes, very cool to read through the old papers, haha.
I think installing spray foam is a good idea, cause the old insulation can prevent a proper seal, trap moisture, and harbor allergens and pests